Different
by bubbly123
Summary: Booth convinces Brennan to come to New York with Parker and him, while there Brennan is introduced to Booth's family. What exactly will the Booth family think of the brilliant forensic anthropologist?
1. Chapter 1

Seely Booth sat on a park bench outside of the FBI building, he had just finished the last bit of paper work from the last case he and his partner had solved and was heading home to change into something more comfortable than his work clothes when his mother had called. She normally didn't call him on weekdays, knowing that he had work to do, but here he was sitting on a park bench listening to his mother ramble on about how she never got to see him or his brother.

He rarely got to see his family either, seeing as most of them lived in New York or New Jersey, and the rest were scattered threw Virginia, and Florida. He and his distant cousin, Frank, were the only two Booths related to him that he knew of that lived in DC. But even if he didn't see his family a lot, his mother called him at least once every other week to "check up on him".

She had done this a lot more often when he had gotten back from war, and when he had joined the FBI, but now it just seemed like an excuse to talk to her youngest son.Which he didn't really mind that much, as long as she called him when he wasn't at work, or when it wasn't to late at night,(His mother was one to stay up until the early hours of the morning, bored and restless, and decide to call one of her sons, spare of the moment).

But the calls had been more frequent here lately, and her timing was more than a little bit annoying. She had called once when he was at the Jeffersonian in the middle of a conversation with Brennan about the weapon used to kill a seventy year old women, and once when he had been out in a _very _cold marsh sloshing his way threw mud to get to the body of a forty year old male, to then have his phone ring right before he stepped into a very disgusting and deep pile of mud. And not counting all the other times she had called during meetings with his boss, when he was on trial and had forgotten to turn his phone off, therapy sessions with Sweets, five o'clock on a Saturday morning, and even once when he had been taking a shower.

Booth sighed, he didn't know what was wrong with his mother, or what was calling her to call more often, maybe she was getting lonely or maybe she just missed her children, whatever it was he really couldn't afford any more of her spare of the moment phone calls. He rubbed his face and looked at his watch, listening to his mother talk about her pet dog, Jim. It was six twenty and he was supposed to meet Temperance at the diner around six thirty for dinner to celebrate the solving of there most recent case.

Booth stood up from the park bench deciding to drive and talk, (mostly listen), to his mother at the same time. He made his way to his SUV getting in and slamming the door shut then turning on the engine while simultaneously answering his mother's questions about Parker.

When he pulled up to the diner it was six thirty three, only three minutes late. Booth made his way into the diner still on the phone with his mother, he quickly found Brennan in their normal booth looking over a menu. He flopped down in the seat, and she looked up at him startled. He saw this and grinned at her pointing at the phone on his ear as a sort of apology for not making his presence known before sitting down.

She smiled back at him and nodded accepting his "apology". Booth took a menu and flipped it open looking threw the dinner options, when his mother bounced from the subject of his father's annoying ability to embarrass her when they went out to dinner to the curious subject of as to were he was at.

"Were are you, Seely? I hear all those voices in the back ground, are you out eating somewhere? Do I need to hang up and let you eat? That's fine if you don't want to talk to me anymore, for all I know you could be on a _date_!" Booth rolled his eyes, his mother was as bad as Angela was when it came to dating, she had always known when he had a crush on a girl when he was in elementary school, and even now he had a hard time of hiding things like that from his mother.

"No Mom, it isn't a date. I'm at the diner with Bones, she and I just finished solving a case and we decided to get some dinner."

"Oh! Bones, your partner, the one you told me about? Is she pretty,Seely? I think you need a new women in your life, get your mind off of work. Is she available? Oh, I do hope you'll get yourself a descant women this time, someone smart and beautiful, who doesn't have a thing with marriage like Rebbecca did."

Booth looked over at Brennan then quickly looked away, his mother had hit his partner right on, smart and beautiful, if she had just left off the part about marriage. " Yes the one I told you about, and I have no idea if she's available, I don't really want to know." Wow! That was defiantly a lie. "And Rebbecca doesn't have a thing against marriage, she's actually getting married next summer."

Temperance looked at him curiously. "Who are you talking about? And you didn't tell me Rebbecca was getting married, Sweets told us we should tell each other things, you know, trust each other with information about our "personal" lives."

Booth closed his menu and looked up at her. "Hold on, Mom." He held the phone away from his ear and addressed Brennan. "We were talking about you, and sense when do you give a lick about what Sweets says? I thought you hated psychology? Face it, Bones, you just want to know what happens in my life. It's like some sick soap opera to you."

Temperance wrinkled her eyebrows and shook her head. "I do not think you life is a soap opera, I don't even like soap operas, Angela tried to get me to watch one with her when I was over at her house one time. There extremely dramatic and hold barely any relevance to real life. I don't see how anyone could possibly find them interesting, TV itself seems like just a waste of time and money. And why was your Mother asking if I was available, does she think were dating or something?"

Booth smiled and put the phone back on his ear. "Sometimes TV is something worth wasting your time on, Bones." His mother heard his last statement and he instantly regretted saying it so she could hear.

"She doesn't like TV! What kind of women have got yourself involved with? I thought you liked this girl? Does she like _any _TV shows? Any at all? Let me speak to her. I want to ask her a few questions for myself. Maybe you just misunderstood her, no one hates _all_ TV."

Booth laughed to himself and handed the phone over to Temperance,who looked at it with a confused expression. "What?"

"She wants to talk to you, Bones." Brennan raised her eyebrow curiously. "What?" Booth handed the phone to her and leaned up closer to her side of the table. "My mother wants to talk to you." He said every word slowly like he was talking to a three year old then sat back and grinned as she put the phone onto her ear.

"Hello?"

"Is this Bones?"

"No, this is Dr.Temperance Brennan."

"But my son calls you Bones, right?"

"Yes, he does, but I go by Temperance."

"Oh, so it's a nick name that only he uses? I see."

"Well, yes. He rarely addresses me as Temperance or Brennan or Dr.Brennan for that matter."

"Ah, well Seely was never really one for formality. He says you don't like TV, is that really so?"

"Well, it's not really that I don't like it, it's more that I don't have a real need to watch it. I have so many better things to do with my time, things that actually take thinking, rather than sitting in front of a television screen. And besides I don't have a TV, so the temptation really isn't there."

"Hm, you sound intelligent. Seely seems to like you, do you think you'd like to come up to New York with him this weekend and spend a little time with me, I'd really love to get to know you better, it seems as if you are one of the most important people in my son's life right now, and I would love to know why that is."

"No, I really shouldn't impose, Mrs.Booth. I don't even know if Booth knows he's coming up to New York this weekend, let alone with me, I don't want you to miss out on quality time with your son just because I'm there. And besides I'm really quite busy here in DC, we just got ancient skeletal remains from Egypt sent to us for identification, and I really should be working on that."

"Well, you think about it, and do tell Seely that he's coming up this weekend or I'm coming down to see him. I think my husband just got home and I haven't even started on dinner yet, tell Seely I love him and goodbye, and it was really quite pleasant to talk to you Dr.Brennan, I hope you decide to come up this weekend, Oh, and tell Seely to bring my grandchild up to see me as well. Goodbye!"

"By."

Brennan closed Booth's cell phone with a snap and handed it back to him just as the waitress came to take there orders.When they had finished ordering, Booth leaned over towards her and smirked. "So, Bones. How do you like my mother? Charming lady isn't she?"

"She seems...nice. She said to tell you goodbye and she loved you, oh and that if you didn't come up to New York to see her this weekend with Parker, that she was coming down to see you, she wanted me to come up to so she could get to know me better. Though I don't know why she wants to get to know _me._ But, either way I won't be able to go up with you, even if I wanted to, I've got so much to do here that I don't even know if I'll be getting any sleep let a lone vacation time."

Booth shook his head at his partner, why was she such a workaholic? Was it so hard for her to have a little fun every now and then? "Oh, come on, Bones! Are you saying you wouldn't want to go to New York with me and meat my mother and the rest of the Booth family, besides you do know that you get this weekend off right?"

"Your being sarcastic aren't you? I don't think that I would like to meat your family very much, Booth. They don't really seem like the kind of people who would like me that well, so, yes that is exactly what I'm saying. How do you know I have this weekend off?"

Booth rolled his eyes at her as the waitress came with their food, Booth leaned back in his seat letting the waitress place his plate in front of him then leaned back up directing his attention back towards Brennan. "Most everyone has this weekend off, Bones,you know, most _normal _people, the ones who _enjoy_ days off. It's Memorial day weekend, that's when most people go see family and friends, the ones they haven't seen in forever, example being my mother."

Temperance leaned over and took a fri from Booth's plate then leaned back over to her side chewing slowly on the salty snack. " I know it's Memorial Day weekend, Booth. But I don't have family I can go see, Russ is with Amy and the girls, I don't even know if my grandparents are alive or dead, if I have any cousins I don't know were they live or who they are, My Dad is the only one available this weekend and I see him quite frequently so there's really no need to spend the weekend with him."

Booth nodded his head. "This is exactly why you should come up to New York with me, and that my mother won't leave me alone until she meets you, but that's my own personal problem for letting her talk to you. Anyway, I think I might be able to get Parker for the weekend, and if you came along I wouldn't have to worry about Parker running out of things to do while we drive up. He likes talking to you, Bones."

"Booth, I don't know, I don't really think it's necessary for me to meat your family. And besides if I _do _come with you I'm going to have to drop all of my work until Monday, which means I'll be busy all of next week, so that means that you can't convince me to go anywhere else with you for a long time, oh, and you have to help with my paper work for payback. Well, the paperwork you _can _help with, some of it's just book stuff or paperwork on skeletons not involved with a case that we have done together and some of it's..."

"Does this mean you'll go, Bones? Please!" Booth interrupted her, he flashed her a toothy smile and tilted his head to the side. Brennan opened her mouth then closed it, thinking. She grabbed another frie from his plate and waited until she had eaten it to answer him. "I'll go, but I won't like it, and I want to drive at least half of the way up there. And you still have to help with paperwork. Deal?" Booth nodded his head. "And you said my charm smile didn't work on you." He grinned at her again then took a tomato from her salad.

"Your "charm smile" does not work on me, my decision had nothing to do with you, I'm just curious as to if your family is anything like you."

"Sure, Bones, whatever you say."


	2. Chapter 2

_**Thank you for the lovely reviews on the first chapter! And Booth's names **_**is **_**spelled Seely, not, Seeley. It's on the back of the DVD box for season two. Love, love, love reviews good or bad,(but mostly good tho I am still open to constructive criticism). I know that I make a hole lot of mistakes on my grammar, with words like pear and pare, and I do appreciate when I am informed. I know I need a beta reader, but I have absoloutly no idea how to **_**get **_**one. But, you've heard enough from me, so without further due, the second chapter! **_

Temperance Brennan stood looking over her wardrobe, it was Five o'clock on a Friday night and she still hadn't decided what she wanted to pack to go to New York, Booth had stopped her earlier that day and had told her that he would pick her up sometime after she got off from work so they could leave early and spend most of Saturday in New York.

Brennan had told him to pick her up around six, which meant she had about an hour and fifteen minutes to pack,(seeing as Booth was normally late when it came to unimportant things). Temperance sighed, there was no way she was getting everything packed and ready to go in an hour, she hadn't even decided what clothes to pack.

Brennan put the dress she was holding down on her bed and put her hands on her hips, she bit her tongue and thought about it, she would definitely need some help deciding what to bring and who better to help her than her best friend? She picked up her cell phone and speed dialed Angela Montenegro, who quickly answered.

"Hay, Bren! What's up?" Temperance bit her lip and wondered if it was really smart to call her nosey friend, but either way she needed the help, it's not like she had to tell Angela she was going with Booth to New York, maybe she could get away with not telling her were she was going, maybe. "Hay, Ange! I was going to ask you, if you weren't busy, if you minded coming over and helping me pack for a trip. I'm taking a vacation this weekend, and I have to leave in about an hour, so I've got to make it quick."

"Your finally taking a vacation?! I can't believe it, wear are you going? Why wasn't I informed sooner? Ooh, who are you going with!?" Brennan rolled her eyes, how could she have possibly assumed she could get by without telling _Angela _wear she was going for a completely spur of the moment trip?

"I'm going to New York, Ange. And I didn't tell you sooner because I made up my mind to go last Tuesday and it slipped my mind until Boo...I remembered today!" Temperance mentally slapped herself for almost mentioning Booth, she hoped Angela hadn't caught her mistake.

"Uhu, well, you still haven't answered my question as to _who _your going with."

"Who said I'm going with anyone, can't I just take a vacation by myself? But that's not why I called, will you come help me pack or not?"

"You know me better than that, Bren. I'm already on my way over, and I expect a hole lot more answers than what I've already got when I get there. Because I know that you would not voluntarily take a vacation to New York without someone either forcing you, or someone you know and love using his charm smile on you to get you to do what he wanted, sound familiar?"

Brennan smiled at the phone and rolled her eyes yet again. "No, Angela, Booth didn't force me to go to New York with him." Well, that was almost a lie, but not a complete lie."I'll see you when you get hear, ok? By, Ange."

"See you there, Bren. Oh, and who said anything about, Booth? Just for the record, you came up with that one for yourself."

Brennan could almost hear the sly smile slowly forming on her best friend's face as she shut her phone and placed it back on her nightstand. Ok, maybe calling Angela wasn't such a good idea.

--

After less than ten minutes after Temperance had finished talking to Angela, she heard someone knocking on her door, of course that someone was Angela. Brennan answered the door and let her friend in while holding a bag full of toiletries that were an absolute necessity. Angela stepped inside of the apartment and hugged Temperance smiling broadly. "So, where's your bag? I want to get started so we can finish early and talk about what your going to do with Booth in New York."

Brennan lead Angela to her room and sat her toiletry bag down on the end of her bed. "You said it yourself, Ange no one said anything about Booth, how do you even know if I'm going to New York or not, let alone if I'm going with anyone at all."

Angela shook her head and smiled sympathetically. "Because, Sweetie, sorry but, your no good at lying, and don't think I didn't miss it when we were on the phone and you almost mentioned Booth. Oh, and don't forget I work with you either, because I heard Booth saying he would pick you up after work today when I was in my office, you should really find a place more private to talk if you want to keep things like that a secret."

Temperance grinned at her best friend and raised one eyebrow curiously. "You listen in on my conversation?" Angela rolled her eyes. "I only _accidentally _over heard, it's not like I make it a frequent hobby, you know, "listening in on your conversations". I am not a snoop. But my not being a snoop out of the picture, were do you think you'll be going in New York? Because if you go somewhere nice you'll need to get yourself a little black dress, oh and something cute and comfortable for pajamas."

Brennan nodded her head and opened her closet door, she dug around in the back of her closet and pulled out three dresses, the first two she quickly threw back in the closet hoping Angela hadn't seen her get them out and the other she laid out on her bed. Angela came over towards the dress and looked it over, it was a simple black dress that looked like it hadn't ever been worn, it had long sleeves and a long skirt that would hide most of Temperance's legs if she ever decided to wear it.

Angela commented on the dress almost as soon as she had gotten it out."Yeah, not this one, it looks like an old school teacher outfit." Brennan smiled and looked back at the dress, that was exactly what it had been intended for, she had gotten it when she and Booth had been undercover in Las Vegas, but hadn't even worn it then and still hadn't worn it.

"What about the ones you threw back in the closet?" Angela made her way over to the closet and dug around until she found the discarded dresses, she pulled them out and laid one on the bed next to the other dress."I like this one a hole lot better, Sweetie." Temperance looked at the dress and grinned, this one was the dress she _had _worn in Vegas, the one Booth had liked better. Her grin slowly faded, she couldn't wear that in front of Booth, he would know what dress it had been.

"I don't know about that one, Ange, it's kind of riskay for a simple night out, don't you think?" Angela looked at the dress than back at her friend, she laid the other dress out beside the first two and a large smile formed on her face. "You are definitely wearing the red one, even if I have to hide it in your bag, you are wearing this dress!" Temperance sighed, this one was the other dress she had worn in Vegas, the one that she had went to the under ground fight club and watched Booth fight in, it was low cut and a very bright red, but it was still just as skimpy as the black one.

"Ange! This one is just as bad!" Angela held the dress up to her friend, and then held it up to herself. "It's either this one or the black one, you can take your pick, but it's getting on five thirty and we still have to pack all of your other clothes." Brennan sighed and took both dresses and held them up beside of each other, the black one was a lot plainer, but the red one was slightly longer and didn't hug her hips as tight. "I'll take the red one, but I'm bringing a dress coat to put over it."

Angela grinned and took the dress from Temperance putting it neatly into the bottom of the bag that was laying on top of her bed.

--

After thirty minutes of packing Brennan had a very full bag and a very happy Angela, she had been forced to pack a lot of things that she really didn't think she needed but had packed anyway just to make Angela happy. "You know I'm only going away for the weekend, Ange, there really isn't any reason I need to pack all of this."

Angela sighed in frustration and put her hands on her hips. "I have a very good reason for packing everything that I packed, and I explained all of my reasons as I was putting the things in the bag, so please, Bren, just trust me on this one. You know I'm always right."

"There is absolutely no way anyone could _always _be right, if they were they would have to know everything about everything, and no one can know everything about everything, it's imposable, you would..." Brennan was cut off by the ringing of the door bell, she quickly raced across the room trying to beet Angela to the door, knowing full well what she would do if it was Booth on the other side.

Temperance barley got to the door before Angela did, she skidded to a halt in front of the door then opened it, Angela right behind her. Booth answered, a grin stretched across his face, his son was beside him with a flimsy plastic toy and a crayon that he looked to have just found in his pocket.

Booth walked into the living room and clapped his hands together. "Ready to go, Bones?" Brennan turned and glared at Angela who had a I-was-right-even-without-you-telling-me, kind of look on her face. "I'm ready to go, just let me get my bag out of my room." Brennan ran into her room and closed the door behind her.

Angela stood in front of Booth her grin still plasterd on her face. "Soooooo, were are you guys going to go in New York?" Booth shrugged his shoulders and stuck his hands in his pockets. "We are going to go see my family Sunday, but we have no definant plans for Saturday." Angela nodded pretending to be listening then opened her mouth to say someting but was cut off by Temperance.

"I think I have everything, Angela sure did pack enough for me to stay for at least a week." She grinned at her friend, who smiled back only half as happily, she didn't like being interupted, especially when it came to her plans for her best friend and her partner. " I guess I'll just be going then, I'll see you when you get back, Bren!"

Brennan nodded her head and hugged her friend. "Thanks for helping me pack, I don't know if I would have gotten it done without you!" Angela nodded and leaned over to wisper something in her ear. "Promise me you'll do what I would do, ok, and that means showing your dear friend and partner some affection, alright?"

Temperance rolled her eyes but shook her head in amusment anyway. "I don't know if I can really promise that, Ange." The artist laughed as all four of them headed out of the door and Brennan locked her apartment up behind them.


	3. Chapter 3

_**Oops! I wish they would make up their minds on how to spell Seely, (or Seeley)! It confuses someone like me who can't spell all that fantastically anyway! Thank you for pointing out to me why I should spell Seeley as Seeley and not Seely! Much appreciated! (I couldn't think of a song for Booth to be singing in the car so, use your imagination!)**_

Booth sat driving silently, he had turned the radio on a little while ago, but nothing good had been on so he had turned it down low enough to where he could barely hear it. They had been driving for a while, almost three hours, and he was getting extremely bored, Parker was asleep in the back seat and Brennan was drifting off herself.

Booth shook himself slightly focusing his attention back on the road, if he focused on sleeping much longer, he would fall asleep himself. He turned up the radio again flipping channels while trying to pass the man in front of him, he stopped flipping so he could turn into the other lane, but left the channel were it had been.

After a while he started paying attention to the radio, and recognized the song that was playing, without thinking about it he started singing along quietly to the song.

--

Temperance was in the in between state of sleep, where your almost asleep but not quite there yet and your only slightly conscience of what is going on around you. But she heard when Booth started to sing along with the radio, and it amused her that he could actually sing, and not that badly either.

He didn't have a bad voice or a very extravagantly fabulous voice either, he just sounded, nice. Brennan smiled and sat up from where she had her head leaning against the window, Booth looked at her, surprised at her sudden movement and quite singing immediately. "I thought you were asleep."

She shrugged and shook her head, no."Not really, just resting. Why did you stop singing?" Booth looked over at her an eyebrow raised. "Are you really asking that question, Bones?" Temperance nodded her head yes. Booth sighed, and grinned at her."I just stopped,no reason really. Why?" He smirked at her. "Do you like my singing or something, Bones?" He said sarcastically.

She shrugged again and looked out the window. "Your not, _bad_. I just asked a question, though." Booth laughed slightly and looked down at his watch, it was getting on ten o'clock, and he hadn't slept that much the night before, so letting Brennan drive and getting just a little bit of shut eye, didn't seem like a bad idea at all.

He yawned widely and squinted his eyes, yeah that was a definitely a good idea. "Hey, Bones you want to drive for a while, I'm really tired." Temperance looked over at him and nodded."Sure." Booth pulled off of the interstate and then into a small gas station. Booth and Brennan quickly jumped out of the car and switched sides, when Booth sat down and buckled himself up,(after Temperance insisted he do, or she wasn't leaving the gas station until he did), he quite quickly dropped into a remotely deep sleep.

Brennan kept her eyes on the road, but let her gaze drift towards her sleeping partner as they stopped at a stop light. She thought he looked peaceful, happy, and content. It had been a thing of her's for a long time to watch people sleep, she just liked how care free they seemed when they were resting. But as she watched, who she thought to be a very tough and rugged "alpha male" sleep, he looked exactly the opposite, venerable even.

Temperance sighed, she wished she could see the "sleeping" side of him more often.

She also wished she could drive his car more often! But was that really going to happen?

_**Sorry for all of that stuff about sleep, but I wrote the last half of this chapter at almost 12:00 at night, so I was thinking about sleep. And also, sorry about the chapter being so short, I just wanted to put some of them driving up to New York in there.**_


	4. Chapter 4

_**Yay, chapter three! Don't worry this one is longer!**_

After Brennan had driving for about two hours, she and Booth switched seats again, seeing as she had no idea where to go once they got to New York. Booth drove the rest of the way and in an hour they were pulling up to a large brick house, with a small white car parked in the drive way. The house was Booth's parents house and had been their house sense he had been two, he couldn't remember a time when he _hadn't _lived at this house.

It was one o'clock in the morning when they arrived at the house, and Parker was still fast asleep. Temperance and Booth got out of the car and Booth picked Parker up gently, carrying him up to the front door. There was one light on in what looked to be the living room and it seemed that someone was awake inside the house, so Brennan knocked softly on the oak wood door and stood back.

An older women with died blond curls and bright brown eyes answered the door looking far to excited for this hour of the morning. "Seeley!" she leaned over the sleeping form of Parker, and kissed Booth softly on the cheek. "I can't believe your here! Oh, and with my grandson too!" She kissed Parker on the top of his head and welcomed the three inside.

"And is this Bones?" She said, pointing towards Brennan. Temperance smiled, "Yes, I'm Temperace Brennan." She offered her hand as a greating. But this was dismissed and the women hugged her tightly. she giggled softly when she let go of Brennan and pulled her out at arms length. "I'm Lynn Booth, it's fantastic to meat you at last!"

"It's good meeting you to!" Temperance said, smiling. Lynn nodded her head and looked over Brennan, she cocked her head to the side and smiled softly. "I can see why my son likes you, your a pretty girl. I'm betting your smart as well, you correct him a lot don't you, fight with him, sometimes just for fun?"

Temperance blushed and looked over at Booth, then quickly looked down again. Of course, what Lynn had said was true, but there was no way she was admitting that. "We don't really fight for fun, it's just I enjoy debating with him in a way, and it's interesting to see his opinion on certain matters. We argue about our beliefs on certain things, but like I said before, I wouldn't really say that we fight for fun."

Lynn nodded her head and looked unconvinced, then moved over to her son who had lain Parker down on the couch. She hugged Booth tightly and smiled up at him. "I'll go get the guest room set up for Parker, he doesn't have to sleep on the couch." Booth nodded and smiled back at his mother.

--

After Parker had been put upstairs to bed, and all of the bags had been brought in from the car, Booth and Brennan both were quite tired. Lynn on the other hand, had even more energy then before. She bombarded them with questions about work and their day to day lives, and wouldn't settle for anything less than a complete answer.

Temperance was slowly drifting off while Lynn discused Parker and Rebecca with Booth, she was finding it hard to keep her eyes open and soon fell fast asleep. Booth took no notice of his sleeping partner but instead kept up his conversation with his mother. It was at least ten minutes before he realized that Brennan hadn't spoken in a while, he turned around on the couch they were both sitting on and looked at her.

She was curled up in a ball on the other side of the couch her neck curved to the arm of the couch awkwardly. He sighed and looked over at his now slightly less energetic mother, it was getting on two thirty in the morning, and he could really use some sleep. "Mom, do you have another guest room made up? Bones has fallen asleep and I think I'm half way there myself."

Lynn nodded and stood up, she waited patiently while Booth attempted to wake up Temperance, she wouldn't budge. Booth sighed, he really didn't want to have to pick her up and carry her upstairs, he was half asleep himself and didn't quite think he could keep a hold on her.

But eventually, deciding there was no other way to get her upstairs seeing as she was _not _going to wake up, he picked her up and cradled her in his arms, she stirred but didn't wake, he followed his mother upstairs and into a room that,(when he was growing up), had always been used for his twin cousins when they visited from Philadelphia. Booth laid Brennan down softly on one of the full sized beds and turned towards his mother.

Lynn smiled at Temperance's sleeping form and hugged her son."I'm sorry, but your going to have to sleep in here. Jared and Melina are coming up tomorrow and they'll be sleeping in the other room next to your old one, and their daughter Casey will be staying with Parker in his room."

Booth nodded and then yawned widely."That's fine with me, I don't care as long as I can sleep somewhere." Lynn smiled again, (she was a very smiley women), then left, wishing her son a good nights sleep. The room he and Brennan would be staying in was one of the five bedrooms in his parent's house.

Two rooms,(including his parent's bedroom), had king sized beds in them, the other two that were used for guests had two full beds in them, and the last was used for an office and storage. Booth rubbed his eyes and flopped down on the bed beside Temperance, he looked over at her again, she was sleeping on top of the bed spread and looked slightly cold to him.

He got up and walked over to her bed, lifting her up again and pulling back the covers. She stirred again and snuggled up next to his chest. Booth hugged her to him softly then set her back down on the bed, he took her shoes off and threw the covers back over her. She looked content now, he thought as he tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear.

He made his way back to his bed, kicked his shoes off, and lay down in between the sheets, not even bothering to change his clothes, and was soon fast asleep, as well.

_**Ok, maybe it wasn't **_**that**_**much longer.**_


	5. Chapter 5

**_Thanks for the reviews!_**

Temperance was asleep, and fast asleep too, she was having a very odd dream about a blue skeleton and a piano, and was trying her best not to wake up to the loud barking that surrounded her. Of course her best didn't work all that well, soon she was pulled from her deep slumber to a very happy looking dog that sat at the end of her bed.

Brennan looked around herself, Booth was sitting groggily on a bed beside hers, it looked like he had just woken up himself. Temperance turned towards the excited dog and looked at it curiously, where was she, and who's dog was this? It took a while for her to remember the night before, she was at Booth's parents house, but how had she gotten into a bed, she didn't remember going to sleep here?

Booth rubbed his eyes sleepily and walked towards the dog, he picked it up and set it on his bed patting it softly to try and get it to calm down."Come on, Gracy, leave Bones alone." Temperance stretched and ran a hand threw her tangled hair.

"Did you bring me up here last night, Booth?" Booth nodded and yawned widely. "You wouldn't wake up."He stated simply. Brennan looked over at the clock that was on the nightstand near her bed, it was nine thirty in the morning and it didn't seem like any one else in the house was awake yet.

Booth stood from the bed and walked towards the door, he stopped short and looked back at Temperance. "You wanna get some breakfast, or not?" Brennan nodded and followed Booth downstairs to the kitchen.

--

When the two arrived at the kitchen Temperance's assumption that there was no one else in the house awake was quickly proved wrong. A man sat at the kitchen table drinking a cup of coffee and looking over the morning's news paper, he took no notice of Booth or of Brennan and continued on with his reading. Booth grinned and snuck up behind the man throwing his hands on top of the man's shoulders.

"Seeley, you've tried for thirty years to surprise me, or even slightly scare me, and you've not done it once, you'd think you would have learned your lesson by now." The man said, not even turning around. Booth grinned even wider as the man got up, finally taking notice of the other two, and hugged his youngest son.

"Come on, Dad, I couldn't just let the opportunity slip, now could I?" Booth replied happily. Booth turned around and led Temperance forward from where she was standing near the door way to the kitchen. "Bones, this is my father, Michael." He turned towards his father, motioning his hand towards Brennan."Dad, this is Dr.Temperance Brennan, she's a forensic anthropologist at the Jeffersonian institute in Washington DC., and she's also my partner."

Michael Booth smiled and offered his hand to Temperance, who shook it and smiled back. "It's a pleasure to meet you Temperance, or do you prefer Dr.Brennan?" "either is fine, this is a non-proffesionalouting, so I suppose you could call me Temperance." Brennan replyed. Michael nodded his head and turned towards the refrigerator, getting out a pack or baccon, a carton of eggs, a stick of butter, and a carton of milk.

"You two sit tight, I'll make breakfast." Michael offered. Booth shook his head and walked over to his dad. "I'll help, I _want _to help. I can't even remember the last time I cooked with you. Wasn't it three years ago at Easter when we had that big cook out?" Michael nodded his head and grinned getting an even bigger grin back from his son. Michael chuckled and sighed, still notwiping the grin off of his face. "I remember that, oh, do I remember that!"

Temperance frowned, she looked between the two, obviously not getting the inside joke. But she did notice that Booth's smile was strikingly similiar to his father's, and that his eyes were the same shape as Michael's, though not the same color. She sat down at the kitchen table and picked the paper up flipping threw to try and find something at least remotely interesting.

--

After flipping through the news paper at least four different times, Brennan gave up on trying to find something interesting, she sat the paper back down on the table and looked at the two men in front of her. Booth was frying Bacon and Michael was trying to get Gracy,(the dog), out of the kitchen. Gracy, finally admitting defeat, tucked her tail between her legs and made her way over to Temperance.

Brennan looked at the dog under her chair, Gracy began wining pitifully and Temperance felt sorry for the poor dog. She reached down a hand to pat her and the dog instantly rolled over. Brennan laughed lightly and rubbed Gracy's stomach, Gracy lazily wagged her tail and her mouth opened in a sort of doggy grin.

Temperance smiled back at the dog and rubbed behind her ears, Gracy laid still,(except for her tail), and enjoyed the attention, until the door bell rang loudly. Gracy jumped up barking and ran for the door, Michael put down the glasses of milk he had in his hands and went ot answer the door. Brennan stood up, eager for something to do , and brought the glasses of milk to the table.

Michael came back a few seconds later with three people, one of whom was Booth's older brother, Jared, the other two were Jared's wife Melina and his daughter Casey. Booth turned the stove eye off and put the bacon on a plate and set the plate on the table. He then walked over to his brother and embraced him in a hug, Jared ruffled his younger brother's hair and turned towards Temperance, who noticed that Booth and Jared _both _had the same smile as their father.

"Who's your lady friend, Seel?" Jared asked his brother, he then punched is brother playfully in the arm. Booth walked over to were Brennan was standing and led her forwardtowards his brother. "Bones, this is my brother, Jared, and this is his wife, Melina, and their lovely daughter Casey! Jared, Melina, and Casey, this is my partner, Dr.Temperance Brennan!"

Temperance smiled and shook hands with both Melina and Jared then smiled at Casey, who was trying to hide behind her mother's leg. At that moment Parker and Lynn came down the stairs, both eager to great the new guests. Parker instantly ran to his uncle, who picked him up and hung him upside down smiling. When Parker had been released from Jared's grasp he ran towards his cousin and they both went outside to play on the swing set.

Lynn went to her eldest son and hugged him tightly running her hand over his face, she then turned towards Melina and hugged her tightly, she pulled her back at arms length and looked her up and down. "Melina, darling? Are you by chance pregnant again?" Melina blushed and instantly put a hand to her stomach. Jared sighed and shook his head."I told you she would know, she's phsycic like that."

Booth smirked at Jared. "I thought you swore never to have another child? I thought you said that Casey was more than enough? Changed your mind I see." Jared glared at Booth and turned towards Melina, he threw a hand over her shoulder and pulled her close to him. "Yeah, well, Melina wanted another baby. And, being the kind, wonderful, fantastic, person that I am, I happily obliged!" He kissed his wife square on the mouth and smirked back at Booth.

Booth rolled his eyes at his brother and grinned at Temperance, who was watching the family from a distance. Brennan grinned back and her stomach rumbled loudly, she blushed lightly as every one turned towards her, reminding them of breakfast. "Hungry, Bones?" Booth asked her while getting plates out of the cabinet.

Brennan nodded her head, still slightly embarrassed. Booth and Michael finished breakfast, while the rest of the family, (not including Parker and Casey, who were still outside playing), sat down at the large kitchen table. Melina sat by Temperance and watched her husband talk with Michael and Booth. She turned towards Brennan and spoke for the first time sense she had gotten there.

"So, where do you work again?" Temperance turned towards the women and looked at her, she had bright Hazel eyes and dark olive skin, her hair was pulled up in loose and gracefull bun and she sat with a certain grace that made her look important and dignified. Brennan felt odd sitting with her, she still had the clothes she had fallen asleep in on and she hadn't even combed her hair this morning.

"I'm a forensic anthropologist at the Jeffersonian institute in Washington DC." Melina nodded her head looking impressed. "I have a degree in sociology, and half of one in psychology. I never finished going to school for that one, it lost my interest, so I started traveling and met Jared in Egypt, where I was doing field work. And now I _teach _sociology at a colledge in Florida."

Brennan nodded her head and smiled at the women, sociology was closely related to anthropology, maybe it wouldn't be that hard to talk to Melina. "I've been to Egypt very briefly, I didn't spend a lot of time there though, but I really wish I had, their culture seems intriguing."

"My mother was from Egypt, and my father from India, Egypitian culture is actually quite fasinating. I went their as a little girl, to visit my grandmother, and the pyrimids were outanding!" Melina replyed, instantly brightning up at the subject.

Brennan was stopped from carrying the conversation any further when Booth sat an empty plate in front of her."Dig in, Bones!" He said with a playful grin, then went outside to go fetch Parker and Casey. Temperance spooned a large spoon full of eggs onto her plate as Melina loaded at least seven pieces of bacon onto her plate.

Brennan sighed and then smiled a small smile, maybe meeting Booth's family wasn't that horrible after all!


	6. Chapter 6

**_So sorry I havn't written in forever! We just got finished moving, and I really havn't had the time. So, if you've still been waiting for me to post and havn't just given up on me for good, the next chapter!_**

Booth groaned and flopped down on his bed, Brennan had been in the bathroom for almost an hour now, and he hadn't even brushed his teeth that morning.

There were four other bathrooms in the house that he could use, but one was being used by his mother,(who took forever to get ready), one was being used by Michael, Parker, and Casey for a "science experament", one was a half bath and always had issues with the toilet, and the last that wasn't being used was packed full of boxes, so there was absouloutly no way he could even get near the shower let alone step inside the bathroom itself.

The bathroom that Temperance was currently occupying was the one that was in the room that they shared, so his stuff was in there anyway. He got up and walked over to the door, knocking loudly.

"Bones! Please hurry up, my grandmother is coming around twelve, and the way your going, you won't be out of the bathroom until twelve midnight!"

He heard her pull the shower curtain open without turning the water off, she clicked the lock on the door and opened it. Brennan stood dripping wet, a towel rapped around her. "Come in and get ready, but your going to have to deal with me being in here too."

Booth nodded and went inside the bathroom, Temperance got back inside the shower and put her towel on the towel rack near the toilet.

--

less than five minutes later Brennan was out of the shower, and Booth was inside the shower. Temperance had fixed her hair,(which took slightly longer than usual seeing as she had forgotten her hair dryer and was forced to use the tiny old purple one that Booth's mother kept in the bathroom for guests), and had washed her face by the time Booth got out of the shower.

Brennan was still in her towel due to the fact that she was afraid Booth would lock her out of the bathroom if she went out to change, and she really didn't feel like fighting with him over the bathroom all morning.

When Booth stepped out of the shower she felt slightly awkward, sure she was covered, but still, it was...weird. Booth walked over to the sink taking his hair brush from his bag and combing out his short hair, it didn't seem like it bothered him at all.

Temperance shook herself and got her make up from her toiletry bag, normally she didn't wear a lot of make up, but some foundation and some gloss wouldn't hurt for today.

They both stood at the sink going through their daily ruteans, both trying their hardest to ignore the other. This didn't work so well. Booth turned to get something out of his bag just as Brennan turned to put something back into her bag.

They knocked into each other and both found their position to be a little more than uncomfortable, for at that exact moment Lynn Booth came waltzing into the bathroom looking for her purple hair dryer.

She stopped dead when she saw Booth and Temperance holding each other,(well, that's what it looked like to her, which wasn't really far from the truth), both nearly naked, and both quite embarrassed.She grinned largely and placed her hand on her hip while raising one eyebrow in curiosity.

"Just partners,eh? You seem to be a little bit more that that!" Lynn grinned, if possable, even bigger when Brennan and Booth spluttered and blushed while quickly removing themselves from the other's arms.

Temperance adjusted her towel and tucked a piece of hair behind her ear. "I..we...that...it wasn't what it looked like!" Booth nodded in agreement. "We were just. . .trying to. . .you know. . .get ready, and well...kinda...bumped into each other."

Lynn nodded and crossed her arms looking at her son with an expression of disbelief. "Well, if you weren't doing what it looked like you were doing, I don't think it'll be long before you are. Anyway, I'll just leave you two to your "bumping into each other"." With that she winked and left, closing the door behind her.

Brennan turned towards Booth, her cheeks slowly gaining color when she realized that they were alone again, if she had thought it was awkward before, it was ten times more awkward now. She turned towards Booth who seemed to be lost as to what to do with himself, and in an attempt to lighten the mood, grinned widely at him. "She's way to much like Angela, could you just see _her _face if she saw us like this?"

Booth grinned back and laughed softly."Better yet, could you imagine the women's squeal? She's unbelievably loud and you know how she gets when she calls your place when we're eating together, it would be one hundred times that."

Temperance nodded and began to laugh. "Even better, could you see Zach walking in on us?" Booth snorted and propped himself against the counter. "He would probably just say "Sorry Dr.Brennan" and leave, though his face would be priceless."

Brennan laughed loudly at the image of her grad students stuned face, it was an exteremely amusing image.

"Could you imagine what Cam would say?"

Booth nodded. "Yeah, she'd tell us it was none of her business, but she would be squealing just like Angela on the inside. You know she has a thing with those romantic mystery novels, and if she was living in one real life one, it would bring a definite smile to her face."

"Ooo, so you think our relationship would be like a romantic mystery novle?"

Booth spluttered and squinted his eyes trying to think of a way to explain himself better. "Well, you know, I'm FBI your a forensic anthropologist, it would be like something out of a book. You know, solving crime while keeping a hidden relationship on the side, yeah, definant story plot."

Temperance nodded and thought about it. "It would be a good story plot, maybe I could do a little something like that for Andy and Kathy's relationship in my book, though not exactly like that, because they're kind of already in a relationship, but something like that. Maybe having someone walk in on them unexpectedly."

"Hay, now you can't go be stealing my ideas, Temperance Brennan!" Booth joked while Brennan went to sit on the counter.

"Well, it wouldn't really be your idea if I changed it, you would just be the inspiration for that particular part of my book."

"Yeah? What part exactly? One of those really riskay parts?"

Temperance rolled her eyes and attempted to hide the rosy tent to her cheeks. "No, Booth. Not like that, it would just mean that you said something that inspired me to write what I wrote, it's not like we really did anything like that, it's just your mother thought we did."

Booth laughed again then sighed. "She's not going to leave me alone about that, I'll be hearing about it for the rest of my life, unless you die, I die, you move, you get married, or we get married or in some kind of relationship. Then she won't leave me alone about how she was right and I was clueless."

"Sorry, Booth. I'm not getting married, I don't really intend on dying any time soon, and I am most definantly not moving. So that means you have to die or find someone else but me."

"Oh, come on, Bones. That seems a little dramatic, you know your the only girl for me." He winked and laughed at her confused expression.

"I hope your not implying something, Booth."

"Nope, just that your the best girlfriend in the world, not like girlfriend though, more like _girl _friend. Like a friend who is a girl."

Brennan grinned and nodded her head. "Then your the best boy friend in the world!"

Booth laughed."It sounded better when I said it, but I do appreciate the compliment, girl friend!" Temperance laughed at how he said the last bit in a school girl tone.

"Your crazy, Booth!"

Booth pouted. "You go from compliments to insults way to quickly for my taste, Bones."

"I didn't mean that you were mentally crazy, I ment that you were goofy crazy."

Booth chuckled. "I know what you meant, Bones. I was joking back."

"Oh." Temperance nodded and picked up the tube of lipstick that was sitting on the counter where Booth was curently occupied, she started applying it carefully while Booth _watched _her carefully.

Booth cocked his head to the side and watched her put her lip stick on, he couldn't pull his attention away from her. After she had finished putting her lip stick on, which took a while longer than it looked to really need to be taken,(mostly because she was seeing how long Booth would stare at her if she kept on), she left the bathroom and shut the door behind her.

After warning Booth not to come out of the bathroom until she said she was changed, she sat down on the bed and pulled her clothes from her bag.

--

When Brennan was changed she called Booth out of the bathroom and busied herself with putting her shoes on. Booth changed quickly while Temperance focused on finding a pair of shoes that would match her outfit. When both were dressed and smelling new, they went down stairs to find everyone else already changed and cleaned.

Lynn was fussing over a slightly annoyed looking Melina, Michael was trying to convince Jared of something that neither Brennan or Booth could hear, and Parker and Casey were rolling a ball back in forth on the hard wood floor while talking about what they wanted to be when they grew up.

To Booth's surprised Parker was dressed and his hair had obviously been washed, he made a mental note to thank his mother for that later. Lynn turned and smirked at her youngest son when the two partners came down the stairs together. "I thought you would never be ready!" She announced loudly, turning from her conversation with Melina, (who seemed to be slightly happy that she had).

Lynn's overly dramatic expression alerted the rest of the people in the room to the two. Jared raised his eyebrows at his brother and grinned, Melina looked like she knew exactly why they had taken so long to get ready, and Parker, Casey and Michael remained completely clueless.

The door bell rang loudly and Michael got up to answer the door. Lynn turned her attention away from Temperance and Booth and (to Melina's annoyance), continued with her fussing over her daughter-in-law.

Parker and Casey both ran after their grandfather eager to see who was at the door, while Gracy followed closely behind, barking loudly. Brennan and Booth turned towards each other, thankful for the momentarily distraction. Temperance grinned at Booth, who quickly returned her grin with a matching one of his own.

--

Michael came back a few seconds later with an old women who had a very tiny dog. Michael seemed scared to be in her presences and looked nervously at his wife, silently begging her to free him of the women beside him. Lynn seemed to understand his silent plea and quickly walked over to his side.

She hugged the older women tightly and grinned widely. "Mother! Your here, I didn't think you'd come, oh, and you brought Ella!" At the mention of it's name, the dog in the women's arms yipped loudly, this made Gracy bark even louder as she started to sniff at the women's skirt.

The older women squinted her tiny bright blue eyes and looked over her daughter, she had her gray hair tied tightly in a bun on the top of her hair and her features looked almost the exact oposite of her daughters. "Marilynn Samantha Lee Smith Booth, what have you done to your hair?"

Lynn looked confused and felt her long blond curls. "What do you mean? I haven't changed it at all." The women shook her head and picked a piece of lint off of her daughters shirt. "No, Marilynn. You've dyed it. I thought your auburn hair was lovely, you didn't have to change it."

Lynn looked even more confused and laughed lightly. "Oh, Mother! I dyed my hair months ago, I thought you had seen me sense then? And besides, I'm not one for gray hair, so dying it blond is just something to hide the gray. It's not like it's a wig or anything."

The women pursed her lips and raised her eyebrows. "I haven't seen you sense last Easter, Marilynn. None of my children visit me anymore. I haven't seen or spoken to Nathaniel in over two years, Gillian calls me occasionally, and you call me once every other month at the most."

Lynn looked guiltily at her mother and hugged her again. "I'm sorry. If it makes you feel any better, my children never visit me either." At this both Jared and Booth looked around at their mother. "Hay!" They exclaimed together, both wearing identical pouts. This amused Brennan.

"We call you!" Jared looked outraged. "Yeah, and we visit you on most of the major holidays, and on your birthday." Booth put in. Lynn smiled at her sons and laughed, the women beside her put Ella down on the floor and smiled gently, she looked years younger when she smiled.

Lynn led her mother over to her sons and both men got up and were hugged loosly by their grandmother. The women went to Melina and hugged her too, then went to Parker and Casey, who had both been standing in the back of the kitchen watching silently. When she got to Temperance she stopped.

"And who's this?" She squinted and looked over Brennan, Temperance did the same with the women. Booth laughed and walked over to the two.He vividly remembered telling his partner that she reminded him of his grandmother on one of their first cases together. "This is Dr.Temperance Brennan, She works at the Jeffersonian institute in Washington DC. And she's my partner."

The women nodded and looked at Booth. "I didn't need her job description, Seeley. I just asked who she was, just her name would have been fine." She turned towards Brennan again and spoke before Booth had the chance to. "I'm Lucille Smith, his grandmother, and Marilynn's mother."

Temperance nodded, smiled and shook Lucille's hand. Lucille just kept staring, then finally, deciding to be polite, she smiled a small smile. Lucille turned from Brennan losing interest quickly in the forensic anthropologist. She addressed her daughter again while placing Ella on the floor,(Gracy imidiatly started sniffing the tiny dog). "Are we going out to eat, Marilynn? I hope we are, I'm absoloutly starving."

Lynn nodded. "We will if you want to, Mother." She smiled brightly and ignored her husband's horrified expresion, the last time Lucille had went out to eat with them she hadn't stopped complaining for a minute. First her steak was to hard, then it was to cold, then her fries weren't crispy enough, then the waiters didn't take enough care of their customers, and so on and so forth.

Michael breathed in deeply, this would surely be an exciting day.

**_Personally, I love reveiws! So if you really want, you can make my day and send me a reveiw!_**


	7. Chapter 7

**_So, this is the next chapter! Thanks for the reveiws and thanks to _**vikaaaaaa**_ who gave me the idea for the last bit of this chapter!_**

Brennan collapsed onto her bed sighing heavily, Lucille Smith was a nightmare! She hadn't left her alone the entire evening,and had almost followed her into her bead room but she had used the excuse that she had to change and didn't want to do that in front of the annoying women,(this wasn't really a lie she had spilled spaghetti sauce all over her white shirt when Lucille had "accidentally" bumped into her).

Temperance had unluckily been seated next to the women at lunch, and had thought nothing of it, until she started talking. Lucille had bombarded her with questions, starting with questions about her job, then moving to her relationship with Booth, then there was her social life, if she had a boyfriend or a husband, any children, if her parents where good people,(Lucille had rambled on forever about how horrible it was that her parents were criminals and had succeeded in making her feel horrible about her childhood), then finally had ended with questions about her house and where she lived.

Brennan sighed again and rubbed her head tenderly, she was getting a savear head ache, and she was pretty sure that Lucille had more than a little bit to do with it.

Booth knocked softly on the door and then poked his head in seeing that she was dressed and descant he came in fully and closed the door behind him. "Hay, Bones, you OK?" Temperance sat up and looked at him with an annoyed expression.

"Booth! Your grandmother won't leave me alone! She tried to follow me in here, I didn't know she was so clingy!" Booth chuckled softly and sat down on the bed beside Brennan.

"You know she's just curious about you, your a very interesting person. . . well, most of the time." Temperance smirked at him and laied back down on her back.

"Do you think your family likes me so far? I mean it's not that I really care what they think of me or not, but it's human nature to want to make a good impression."

Booth nodded and laied himself down beside of her. "They seem to like you, you haven't really talked to them a lot. My parents actually think your shy and peaceful, which is the complete opposite of you, but a complement none the less."

Brennan glared at him but quickly averted her attention back to the ceiling."I can be peaceful. Not everyone is born happy go lucky like you, Booth."

"I know, it's a gift, I'm just naturally optimistic." Booth grinned playfully at Temperance then sat up and leaned over her. "Don't worry about what my family thinks of you, OK Bones. No matter what they think I still think your a fantastic person and an even better partner, and they can't change my opinion of you, only you can do that."

Brennan smiled softly shook her head. "Your such a suck up, Booth! What exactly drove you to say something so sentimental during a not so sentimental or "emotional" moment?"

"Ah, you know" He winked at her with a grin quickly forming on his face. "Just the truth."

Temperance sat up and shook her head once more."You really are a "charmer" aren't you." She grinned at him as soon as he gave her a nod in reply."Of course I am."

Booth stood and made his way to the door but stopped short when he heard a scream from downstairs. Both partners ran quickly downstairs and out into the garden where they found Lynn looked horror stricken at a gruesomely decomposed skeleton.

Michael, Jared, Lucille, Melina, Parker, Casey, Ella, and Gracy came running into the garden soon after. Melina and Booth quickly guided Parker and Casey away from the sight, explaining that this was something that they really did not want to see.

Brennan squatted and, like every other crime scene she'd been to, began to examine the body.


	8. Chapter 8

_**Thanks so much for the loverly reviews!!**_

Dr.Temperance Brennan stood looking over a dead body, finding it hard to believe that her weekend away from work had turned into a weekend completely devoted to work.

She hadn't gotten much from the skeleton at the Booth family's home and had decided to bring it back to the Jeffersonian where she would be able to put the family's mind at ease.

Lucille had been momentarily surprised about the action she had taken when the body had been found and had immediately started griping about how she should be seeing if her partner and his son were ok instead of eyeing the "gross dead thing".

Brennan would not have this, this was her elimant, what she did for a living and what she was best at. There was no way some old women was going to stop her from doing her job.

Temperance had voiced this opinion to Lucille, telling her that if she really wanted to find out if they were ok, to do it herself and leave her to do her job. This she figured, was probably how she earned Lucille's immediate respect, for right after her opinion was stated none to nicely, Lucille smiled and said, "_I like this girl, I like her alot."_

Of course identifying the skeleton that had turned up in the Booth's back yard wasn't really part of her job at first, but she had quickly made it so.

And after much discussion and debate among herself and her team, they had concluded that the skeleton was Victoria Hope Newmann, a teenage girl that had gone missing, at the least, four months before.

This of course bumped the case up to FBI jurisdiction, seeing as the women that has supposedly kid napped the fifteen year old was under suspicion of the murder of her eighty year old parents Martha and Mitch Bruing, the women, of course, being their adopted daughter, Brittany Grayson.

Booth instantly made the investigation his number one priority, he was at a loss as to why whoever had killed Victoria Newmann would hide her dead body in his parent's bushes.

Temperance sighed, her partner was definitely going to work himself to death on this one. She picked up the skull of the dead girl and flipped it over in her hands, looking for any signs of what might have been a murder weapon. She set it down finding nothing out of the ordinary.

She continued to scan the rest of the skeleton, finding definant sighns of struggle from the fractures on the girl's rists. She hadn't went out without a fight. Victoria's right foot was broken badly and her right elbow was broken almost as badly.

Booth mounted the platform, invisible to his partner, who was engrossed fully with the body in front of her. He stood beside her for a while just thinking, contemplating on what could have possibly happened to the girl, until his partner finally took notice of him.

"Booth, what do you want?" She spoke without ever taking her eyes away from the bone she held in her hand.

"Well. . ." Booth started, choosing to ignore her snappy tone. "I thought you might want to know that I've got Victoria Newmann's information from her missing person's file, and we're supposed to go talk to her parents. . ." he stopped here to look at his watch. "now."

Brennan sighed and put down the bone she held, she snapped off her latex gloves and threw them in the trash bin calling to Hodgins and Zach in the process.

Hodgins and Zach both came to the sound of their names, parking themselves in front of her at the same time, Hodgins carrying a tray of what looked to be blood stained remains of a what was once probably a very nice white jacket.

"Hodgins, did you find anything usefull on the victem's clothing?" The entymologist shook his head but held up the blood stained jacket."Not yet, though I still have this and a pair of jeans to go."

Temperance nodded and turned towards her former grad student. "Zach, I want you to examine the body and try and find cause of death." She turned and addressed both of them as Zach nodded obediently. "Call me if you get anything."

--

Less than two minutes later, Booth and Brennan were sitting in Booth's SUV driving to the Newmann's house.

"What do your parents think about this?" Temperance questioned while looking out the window at the passing cars.

Booth sighed and turned out of the Jeffersonian's parking garage. "They're a little freaked out at the moment, all of them refuse to stay at the house until this case is solved so Melina, Jarred, and Casey are staying with Parker and I and Lucille, Mom and Dad have rented a motel room not far from my place."

"Why did they come all the way down from New York just to stay with you? Couldn't they've rented a motel room in New York just as easily as DC?"

Booth nodded his head and shrugged his shoulders. "That is exactly my point, but Mom and Dad don't want to go back to New York until this case is solved just in case they can provide any help at all, and Melina, Jared, and Casey are here because Jared took a weeks vacation and they want to spend it somewhere they've never been before. Which Melina and Jared have been to DC, but Casey hasn't, so they think it'll be a perfect opportunity for her to learn about our nations capital. As for Lucille I honestly have no idea why she's still here."

Brennan nodded her head, trying to grasp as much of that as she could, she didn't really want to make him repeat it again. He had said it so quickly the first time it was hard to understand much of anything that he'd said.

--

When the partners had arrived at the Newmann's residence they were instantly surprised to find the door wide open and screams coming from the inside the house.

Booth had barely parked his SUV when he jumped out of the still running car and ran into the house, gun in hand. Temperance watched as Booth made the quick transformation from her good friend Seeley Booth, to Special Agent in charge Seeley Booth.

She got out of the car, slower than Booth had, but still as quick as she could be without FBI and sniper training. She made her way to the front door cautiously at first, but then seeing that there was nothing horrible in the hallway straight through the house where she thought her partner to be.

Brennan found Booth leaning over an older women with bright white hair, trying to keep her conscience long enough for the paramedics to arrive. Temperance quickly dropped down beside her blood stained partner and helped him all she could.

A few minutes later they heard the tell tell sound of the ambulance's siren, EMTs were making their way quickly to the place where Booth, Temperance, and the elderly women were.

Brennan stepped back when a paramedic helped lift the old women onto a stretcher, as another paramedic applied pressure to her wound. Booth stood looking at his blood stained hands and clothing, he adverted his attention back to the EMTs who were trying their best to get the women stabilized.

Brennan followed the paramedics out of the door and to the ambulance, she answered their questions and asked a very few amount of her own. Booth came out of the house trailing behind his partner and answering questions that Temperance couldn't.

A little while later Booth and Brennan were standing in the Newmann's front yard, slightly taken back by the sudden change of events. Temperance turned to her partner, ready to question about what had happened, but upon seeing his blood stained clothes and his dark red hands, changed the sentence that had almost come out of her mouth.

"Booth, we need to get you cleaned up."

**_Ooooh! Who's the old lady? And why is Booth so shaken by this sudden happening? Those really aren't hard questions to answer! I mean, come on, who wouldn't be shaken by an old lady with a bullet whole threw her chest bleeding out on top of you? Or is there something else? Dum dum dum! (Sorry just thought I would be a little over dramatic there, hope you loved the chapter)!_**


	9. Chapter 9

_**Short, I know, but I thought this would be better if I just made it short and to the point. Please review!**_

Booth and Brennan had went quickly to Booth's apartment to get him some clean clothes to change into and as soon as Booth was fresh and blood free, they had left for the hospital.

--

Brennan stood arms crossed and head cocked to the side in concentration as the doctor who had taken care of the women, (Dr.Waltz), talked to the two. The women she and Booth had found was Mary Newmann, Victoria Newmann's grand mother. Dr.Waltz had treated her two years before and had diagnosed her with having two unexplained strokes in the time span of two years.

Dr.Waltz had reported sadly that Mary Newmann had passed away before they could even get her into the hospital and that he had called her family and they were expected to arrive soon.

Booth and Brennan had decided that they would stay and wait for the family so that maybe they could ask them a few question involving Mary and Victoria's deaths.

Temperance listened closely to Dr.Waltz's assumptions as to what had killed Mary Newmann but was drawn away from the doctor's talking by a person that she recognized quite clearly walking past her and into a room down the hall from where they stood.

Booth hadn't seen and was still engrossed in what Dr.Waltz was saying but Brennan couldn't help but be curious about why she, of all people, was in the hospital at this time of day when Temperance hadn't gotten any word of anything being wrong with her or any of her family members.

Brennan excused herself from the doctor and her partner and walked to the room where she'd seen the women enter, she peaked into the room and gasped as soon as she saw who was laying in the hospital bed.

Booth walked up behind her as he finished his conversation with the doctor and looked at her curiously.

"What is it, Bones? I thought you were interested in what Dr. Wa. . .?"

Booth was cut short as Temperance pointer her finger at the window to the hospital room and he saw who was occupying the room. Michael Booth.

"Dad."

**_Oooooo!_**


	10. Chapter 10

_**I was reading this story over the other day to get an idea of what I should do next and to see if the story flowed nicely, when I realized I had messed up a bit on the first chapter, (no, I'm not talking about the spelling mistakes and the grammatical errors), I named the dog Jim in the first chapter then changed it to Gracy in the chapter that I put the dog in. Oops! I just thought I'd point that out, probably didn't need to, but I thought I would anyway! Anywayz, thanks for the awesome reviews!**_

_**(I found the doctor's name to be quite amusing. . .then again. . .I amuse easily).**_

Booth sat stone still as if frozen to the hospital chair, Brennan sat beside him ever so often glancing worriedly at him out of the corner of her eye. He assumed she thought he didn't know she was doing this, and he hadn't known until a few minutes earlier when he had turned to the side and caught her looking at him, ever sense then he had been aware of her frequent glances.

Booth sighed, he was still finding it hard to believe that his father was in the hospital bed in front of him. He and Temperance had been there barely fifteen minutes and Booth only knew that Michael had suffered from a heart attack and had been admitted to the hospital immediately.

Booth was affended at first that his mother hadn't told him right away, but she had explained that he wouldn't answer his cell and that he wasn't available at work or at home. He had pulled out his phone and apologized quickly as soon as he'd seen that he had at least five missed calls from his mother and Jared, where he had put it on silent during the commotion of the moment.

Michael had been admitted during which time Booth and Brennan had been trying to make sure that Mary Newmann didn't die on them.

Booth wouldn't have known about his father's sickness if Brennan hadn't seen Melina walking into the hospital room, and something about this disturbed him. He was hurt slightly that his family didn't try harder to find him and tell him about his father, sure he had been in the wrong partly when he had stupidly turned his phone to silent and hadn't bothered to check and see if he'd missed any important calls after the rush of the moment.

But couldn't they have tried to call him again? Maybe he would have noticed this time, or couldn't they have dropped by his place and seen if he was there,couldn't they have called the Jeffersonian, he was sure someone would have called Brennan, and he would've known through her.

Booth was shaken from these thoughts when Lynn entered with Parker and Casey. Parker had been staying with Booth for the rest of the weekend, but seeing as Booth had to work Lynn had agreed to watch him while he was gone.

Jared stood and took Casey from his mother and held her in his lap, Casey was torn up over her grandfather's being in the hospital, she didn't really know what was wrong she just knew that if you were in the hospital it couldn't be good.

Parker on the other hand took things completely different, he hadn't said a word since Michael had had his heart attack and still wasn't speaking.

Booth stood and knelt down in front of his son. "Are you ok, Parker?"

Parker nodded and went to sit in a chair opposite his father's. "I'll be find, Dad. It's Grandpa I'm worried about."

Booth nodded and continued to look worriedly at his son, he could tell that Parker would grow up to be a very strong and selfless man, and this made him immensely proud. Booth sat back down in the hospital chair and sighed heavily as the doctor came in the door.

"Hello, I'm Dr.Tart, are you _all _Michael Booth's family?"

Everyone but Temperance nodded. "No, I'm his son's FBI partner." Brennan explained to the sour looking doctor.

Dr.Tart nodded and opened the door he had just come through."Then I'm going to have to ask you to leave."

Booth stood and opened his mouth to retort, but Temperance placed her hand on his shoulder and shook her head. "It's ok, Booth. This is a family thing anyway, I'll leave."

Booth looked apreehensive as Brennan made her way to the door."Ok, I'll see you later then."

Temperance nodded and left, glaring at the doctor as she went out. Dr.Tart smirked at her and turned back to the Booths.

"Michael Booth seems to have suffered from a heart attack caused by a blood clot in one of his arteries, this is something that is very dangerous and can cause death, but we have caught it at a fairly early stage. Now, there is a procedure that we can perform that will un-clot the artery and put him back to normal, this surgery will be an overnight one and he will take some time to recover we will want to do it as soon as possible to insure that the clot does not worsen."

"When can you start?" Lynn said taking her eyes off of her sleeping husband.

"In about an hour or two is the quickest, I'll have a nurse come in and prep him for surgery if you'd like to do it this quickly."

Lynn nodded and grasped Michael's hand. "That will be fine."


	11. Chapter 11

Temperance sat outside of Michael Booth's hospital room skimming over a very boring magazine, she hadn't left and gone home for only one reason, and that was because she still had to talk to the Newmanns as soon as they arrived.

Brennan put down the magazine and looked at her watch, the Newmanns should be here any minute now. She sighed and looked at the closed door to Michael's hospital room, Dr.Tart hadn't been in there long when he came out and told a few nurses to go prep Michael for surgery, ever since then not a soul had come in or out of the room, including her.

Temperance stood as a nurse came towards her. "The Newmanns are here Dr.Brennan."

Brennan got up and followed the nurse into a waiting room at the end of the hall, she figured that Booth needed this time to be with his family, and besides, it would give her some practice on her interrogation skills.

She entered the room and found five tired looking people. She sat down across from who she believed to be the parents to the three children.

"Hello, Mr. and Mrs. Newmann. I'm Dr.Temperance Brennan, and I work with the FBI. I was wondering if you would allow me to ask you a few questions?"

Mrs.Newmann lifted her head and from where it had been buried in her pale whit hands, her eyes were sunken and cold and her face was red and blotchy from where she had been crying.

"A-a-about Mary's death? Was she murdered? Or is this about Victoria? Have you found her yet?"

Temperance looked down at her hands, this was a lot harder then Booth made it look.

"Unfortunately both, Mrs.Newmann. We've found Victoria. . .I'm sorry Mrs.Newmann. . .she's dead. We found her body in Albany New York."

Mr.Newmann lifted his head at this and grabbed his wife who had broken into large sobs and fallen over onto her husband.

"Was she murdered, Dr.Brennan.?"

Brennan was surprised to hear Mr.Newmann speak in such a low voice, he was small in stature and rather mousy looking which gave the impression that he would bare a high pitched squeaky type voice nothing like he really had.

"We're not really sure of that now, Mr. Newmann. But if she were to have been murdered was there anyone who would be the most likely candidate to kill her, anyone she had argued with or made angry?"

Mr.Newmann shook his head as Booth walked in the door, closing it lightly behind him. Booth walked past the three children who were playing on the floor by the door and over to where Temperance was sitting with Mr. and Mrs.Newmann.

"This is my partner, Special Agent Seeley Booth, he's the agent investigating your daughter's case." Brennan introduced Booth as he sat down beside her.

"Hello, Agent Booth." Mr.Newmann responded politely, his wife on the other hand stayed hidden behind her hands, shaking with sobs.

"There's no one I can think of who would ever harm Victoria, she was never really a people person, so there weren't really that many people who she actually knew. Other than her family, of course. But she was friends with our neighbors daughter, Allison Crouch, that's really the only person I ever remember Tori taking an interest in." Mr.Newmann responded to Temperance's question.

"Do you know anyone named Brittany Grayson, Mr.Newmann?" Booth inquired.

"Sh-sh-she w-was Tori's n-ninth g-grade teacher." Mrs.Newmann responded in between sobs. "What does she have to do with this? D-did she kill our daughter?"

"We don't know for sure, Mrs.Newmann. But she's a possible suspect."

Brennan crossed her arms and sat back in the chair she was in, she wouldn't get to speak again until Booth was finished interrogating the two. What was so wrong with her asking the questions for once?

"Agent Booth, Dr.Brennan, this women was the number one suspect in her disappearance, and now the number one suspect in her. . .in her. . ._death_. You shouldn't be talking to us, you should be questioning her!" Mr.Newmann was standing now looking at both Temperance and Booth with hurt and anger in his eyes.

"Mr.Newmann, we thought that maybe you could tell us something about her disappearance, anything that may help. We are going to question Brittany Grayson, we just need to make sure we know all the facts before we do." Brennan said before Booth got the chance to intervene.

Mr.Newmann sat back down as his three children came over, they had obviously been alerted that something was wrong when their father had stood. The youngest, who looked about five, waddled over to his father and put a small hand on Mr.Newmann's knee.

"Whas wong, Daddy?"

Mr.Newmann looked at his small son and smiled a small sad smile, he pulled the child up in his lap and hugged him tightly.

"Tori is dead, Ben. These people are trying to find out what happened to her."

Ben looked at the Brennan and Booth and his eyes watered up with unshead tears.

"Wha happened twoo her?"

Booth frowned."We don't know yet, bud. But we're doing all we can to find out."

The oldest of the three, who was about thirteen, hadn't shed a tear and was staring fixedly at the wall like she could prevent from crying if she focased on one thing for to long.

"I saw her before she was taken, I saw her get in the car with that women, Grayson. I don't know what she did after that, or what happned after that, all I know is that she didn't come back." The eldest girl said, still staring at the wall and refusing to make eye contact with anyone in the room.

Mrs.Newmann shook her head and proceeded to cry harder, if possible, than she had been before.

"Why didn't you stop her, Hannah? Why didn't you scream at her to stop? Then maybe she'd be here today! It's all your fault!"

Mrs.Newmann was yelling at her daughter now, and the next to the youngest was standing in the back looking frightened, but he was the only one who looked frightened at all. Ben had gotten off of his father's lap and was watching the scene curiously, Hannah was still looking at the wall angrily and Mr.Newmann had stood to hold his wife and calm her down.

"Mia, it's not Hannah's fault, she didn't know anything like this would happen, it's not her fault." Mr.Newmann said as he sat his wife back down in the seat beside his.

Mrs.Newmann broke down again and hid herself in her husband's chest. Mr.Newmann rubbed his wife's back and shushed her as she cryed.

Booth looked at Brennan, who looked slightly surprised at this turn of events, who knew Mrs.Newmann would explode like that? People suprised her twenty four seven.

"Mr. and Mrs. Newmann, do you mind if we talk to the children now? In private, so they can tell us what they know?" Booth said as Hannah put her head in her hands and began to sob like her mother.

"Yes, that will be fine, I'll just take Mia to get some fresh air, then." Mr.Newmann answered as he helped his wife stand.

When both parents had left Booth turned to the three children, Ben had sat in the seat his father had just vacated and his brother had sat down beside him, Hannah remained standing.

"Did any of you see anything else? Do any of you know anything that could help us catch your sister's killer or your grandmother's killer?"

The eldest boy nodded. "I heard my grandmother talking on the phone to someone named Brittany, and Dad says that Brittany Grayson is the number one suspect in Victoria's disappearance. I didn't think much of it then, but what if my grandmother is in on this? What if she killed Victoria, or what if she knew who killed Victoria and didn't tell anyone?"

Hannah glared at her brother, making eye contact with him for the first time since she had found out about her sister.

"Don't be stupid, Matthew! Why would our grandmother hide something like that?! She was probably talking to some old lady in her knitting club or something. Don't jump to useless conclusions!"

Brennan looked at the eldest curiously, why was she so angry? Was this just the way she dealt with her sister's death, or was she hiding something?

"Do you know anything, Hannah?"

Hannah turned back to the wall and shook her head. "I've told you all I know! I saw her getting in the car with Brittany Grayson, and that's it, I can't tell you anything more!"

Booth turned to the youngest boy. "Do you know anything, Ben? Did anyone say anything bad about your sister, did you see anyone do bad thing to her?"

Ben shook his head. "I ownwee swaw her tawk own the phown wif her fwiend, Mattie, fwom next door. She was tawking abouwt weaving home to go run off wiff Mattie, at weast, thas wha it sounded like. But I don' know fowr swure."

"Oh, yeah! I remember that, we were hiding under her bed when she came in on the phone, she _was _talking to Mattie about leaving. I forgot about that, is that gonna help you find her killer?" Matthew said.

Booth nodded. "It just might."

--

A few minutes later Booth and Brennan had gotten all they were going to get from the three children. They offered their condolences and said goodby.

When they had gotten to the end of the hallway, Booth turned on Temperance.

"Why didn't you tell me the Newmanns were here!? I'm the FBI agent, Bones! I'm supposed to do the interrogating!"

"I thought you'd want to spend time with your family, I didn't know what was going on. I didn't think it would be right if I went in and interrupted what could have been important! Is it really something to get so upset over, Booth? I thought I did well with my first interrogation without you."

Booth sighed and shook his head. "That's not the point, Bones. I'm not mad, I just wish you would've told me, ok?"

Temperance was surprised at how quickly he gave up fighting with her.

"Is your dad alright, Booth?"

Booth nodded and then shrugged. "I guess, Dr.Tart took him in for surgery a little while after you left. I really don't know what's going to happen, Bones. This kind of scares me, what if he doesn't come out of this ok? What if they nick an artery, or mess up somehow? Dr.Tart says this is a high risk operation, I'm just kind of worried about him."

Brennan put a hand on her partner's arm and smiled sweetly at him.

"It's natural to be worried about your father, Booth. The both of you seem to be really close. I'm sorry that he has to go through this, I'm sorry that you and your family have to go through this. Are you going to stay until he gets out of surgery?"

Booth returned her smile and shook his head no. "We need to go question Brittany Grayson, I can't ignore work because of this, and besides, I want to know why she, or whoever murdered Victoria Newmann, left her body where they did."

Temperance nodded her head and took her hand off of Booth's arm. She scanned over him worriedly, maybe it would be best if he stayed to find out what was going on with his dad, but then again, maybe, like her, he needed his job to distract him from something he'd rather not think about. . .death.

"Ok, Booth."


	12. Chapter 12

_** I know this chapter is short, but I'll make the next one longer, (hopefully).OK. Now, I know I've been really bad on updating my stories. I am currently writing four at the moment, (including this one), and I am trying my hardest to get chapters posted as soon as I can. Sooooooo, I would really, really, love some reviews, even if I'm doing a really bad job at updating! Pretty please? :-(**_

Brennan was sitting in the interrogation room at the FBI across from Brittany Anne Grayson, their mane suspect in the kidnapping and murder of Victoria Newmann.

Booth sat beside her staring fixedly at the rugged looking women, they had just entered the room and hadn't started questioning her yet, but Booth seemed to think that he needed to check and see if she was nervous or not before he started with his questions.

When he had finished doing whatever it was he was doing when he had been staring at Brittany Grayson he finally spoke.

"Do you know Victoria Newmann?"

Grayson shrugged and scratched her scraggly brown hair. "I'm a teacher, I get to know a lot of people. I don't remember every one of their names. But, right off the top of my head, I don't think I know anyone named Victoria Newmann."

"I know for a fact that's a lie, Grayson. I have a witness who says she saw Victoria Newmann get in a car with you and drive off. Now will you please do me a favor and think back to all of the students that you've driven around in your car? Then maybe you'll remember her." Booth said impatiently, he really didn't feel like playing the, I-know-but-I'm-not-going-to-tell-you-because-I'm-really-guilty, game today.

Grayson shrugged once again and then cocked her head to the side. "Wasn't Victoria Newmann the girl who went missing a few months back? She _was _in my class wasn't she? Yeah, yeah, I remember her, always answering all the questions right, never got any wrong, a real whiz in biology, she was."

"Do you also remember that _you _were the number one suspect in her disappearance? Or have you mysteriously forgotten this fact as well?" Booth remarked.

Grayson sighed and rolled her eyes. "How exactly am I supposed to forget that? Not really that easy, I've tried, trust me. But I can guarantee I didn't kill the girl, no matter what else I may have done, I didn't kill her." She said as Booth raised an eyebrow quizzically.

"He never said she was murdered, Brittany." Temperance put in.

Grayson breathed in heavily and put her head in her hands. "I can't tell you how I know, but if she isn't already dead, and you haven't already found her, then she'll end up dead. Like I said, I can't tell you how I know for fear of my own life, but if you find the girl she can tell you everything you need to know to catch her. . .kidnapper."

Booth leaned back in his chair and huffed. "Unfortunately she's already dead and she can't really tell us much when she's not alive, can she?"

"No, If you found her body you'll be able to figure out everything you need, whoever killed her is a very sloppy murderer I can guarantee that. And if your forensic anthropologist there is as good as they say she is, than you can figure everything out on your own." Brittany said, her face still hidden in her hands.

"Well, I'd like for this to be as easy as possible. I would really love to give her family some piece of mind, and if you know anything that can help me do that, I suggest you tell me. Because, honestly, the way your acting now, you seem to be part of this somehow. And I'll have you know, if you _are _involved with this my forensic anthropologist and I _will _find out." Booth replied angrily.

"I can't tell you anything more, or I'll be the next dead body you find. You should be happy that I've even told you this, I'm putting my ass on the line to even be talking to you, and besides what I've told you will definitely bring you one step closer to her killer." Brittany said in a business like tone, which only succeeded in getting Booth even more upset than he had been.

"Your ass has been on the line for some time now, Grayson. Ever sense you were caught standing over your dead parent's bodies, you'll be going to jail anyway if they find even more evidence than they already have to suggest that your the one that bludgeoned them to death, so why not put your ass on the line for a good cause for once?"

Grayson shrugged and flared her nostrils angrily. "I don't care if I go to jail for "killing" them, I'm not admitting to doing it, but whoever did away with them, was on the right mind track. They lied to me for, what, eighteen years or more? And besides that, my "father" was never fit to be a parent and was never a good enough father to even pretend to be. So I'll take that blame, but I will not be accused of killing that girl, and, like I've said at least three times now, what I've told you will lead you to the one who is without a doubt, guilty of her murder. Now, do you have anymore questions, or am I free to go?"

Booth scowled and stood, leaving the room as Brennan followed close behind him.


	13. Chapter 13

**_ I have deleted one of my stories that I was working on so maybe my up dates will come quicker. I haven't up dated in forever and ever and I will honestly be surprised if anyone takes pity on me and reviews, but I would still like to request that you _do _take pity on me and review! After all, I am just an aspiring author trying to make my way in the FanFiction world!_**

Michael Booth groaned loudly as he came to, the surgery seemed like it had only taken a few minutes, but then again wasn't that always how it seemed when you had been put to sleep?

He opened his eyes and saw his youngest son sitting in a chair beside his bed, where was the rest of his family?

Booth looked up as he heard his father stir, _"finally!"_, he thought. It had been a long while sense Michael had came out of surgery and it had taken quite a long time for him to recover from the anesthetics, it was now nearing one o'clock in the morning and the hospital was beginning to creep him out at this late hour.

"W-where is everyone?" Michael asked as he squinted his eyes and attempted to sit up.

Booth stood up and pressed the up button on the hospital bed's remote control. "Dad, that's what these things are for, so you won't have to sit up right after surgery. And as for the rest of the family, Melina took Casey and Parker home, to let them get to sleep, around nine. Gran Lucille left a long while ago saying that she was to old to stand around in a hospital all day. . ."Booth stopped here and rolled his eyes but continued once he had made it clear that he did not approve of his grandmother's actions.". . .and Jared and Mom left to go get something to eat seeing as neither of them had eaten dinner, they'll be back in a little while, though."

Michael nodded his head."Where's your partner? Temperance, her name was, right?"

Booth nodded yes and sighed. "I told her she didn't have to stay here with me, she offered to, though, don't get me wrong, but I didn't think she'd really want to. I suppose she's at the Jeffersonian looking over Victoria Newmann's body now, or maybe she's actually went home by now."

Michael smirked at his son's glazed over look at the mention of his partner, the boy had a thing for her. Booth looked up, and recognizing his father's face quickly blushed but tried to hid this by rubbing his face, Michael noticed this.

"You like her don't you?" Michael said bluntly.

Booth looked surprised at his father's words and marveled at how he could jump subjects that quickly. "Of course I like her, she's my partner!" He decided to play stupid for now.

"Seeley, you know what I mean. You like her more than a partner, and I know you do, the way you talk about her, the way you look at her, the way you look out for her, you're head over heals for this girl, even if you don't mean to be."

Booth smirked at his father and tried not to look guilty of what he'd been acused of, loving his partner. Even if he was playing stupid, Michael most definantly wasn't going to.

"She. . .she's. . .I really don't know how to explain it, ok? It's like I don't want to feel things for her but I do because. . .because. . .well because she's so much different than any other women that I've ever known. She can get by on her own, she doesn't have to have someone there for her, even though she likes it, she doesn't _need _it. I love her. . . because she's different."

Booth mentally slapped himself, he had let out way more than he had intended on. His feelings on Temperance Brennan were not something that he dwelt on frequently, so he hadn't really thought about anything he'd just said before he'd said it, even though it seemed to make his father happy.

"Well, then, I'd say that your problem is far larger than I thought it was. "Love" is something completely different than "like", Why don't you just tell her how you feel?" Michael said as if this was the obvious thing to do, his son didn't think so.

"How exactly do I tell Dr.Temperance Brennan how I feel? She's not exactly a feelings type of person and besides I've already drew a line, we can't be together no matter how badly I want it. You make it sound so easy when it's actually far harder than anything I've ever even thought about doing, like I said, she's different, she doesn't take things the way most women would. . .well. . .the way the women I've dated would."

Michael smiled at his son and shook his head. "No matter how much "different" she is from other women, she still wants to be told the honest truth, like all women. Trust me son, I know from experience, you can't keep things from a women for long, (unless she's just plain clueless), especially one that knows you as well as your doctor does."

"That, is where you're wrong. You can hide any feeling from Bones, like I said, she isn't really, you know, a feelings person. I could take her on the most romantic date I could muster, and she would still remain clueless."

"I don't know, Seeley. You may be under estimating her ability to read you. She may be clueless to everyone elses emotions but I bet she knows you inside out." Michael said as Booth's phone rang loudly.

"Booth." He said, his face going slightly pink as he heard who was on the other line. Temperance Brennan.

"Hay, Bones." Michael smirked and whispered,"speak of the devil", under his breath as his son began to talk to his "clueless" partner.

"Are you still at the hospital, Booth?" Brennan asked, sounding quite awake for one o'clock in the morning.

"Yeah, Dad just woke up from the anesthetics." Booth replied, glancing as his father.

"How is he doing?"

"I don't know, the doctors haven't been in to check on him in a while, but last time they did they said he was fine and that he should be able to recover well."

"That's good."

"Yeah. What are you doing up at one o'clock in the morning anyway, Bones?" Booth was still recovering from the irony of her phone call and couldn't really think of anything to say, it was, actually, quite awkward.

"It's already one? I've been looking over Victoria Newmann's remains, and catching up on some paperwork, I haven't looked at a clock in a while." She said as she glanced at her watch, it was, in fact, nearing one fifteen in the morning.

"Bones, you amaze me sometimes, you know? How exactly can you not realize that you've been working that late? They've probably locked you in the Jeffersonian by now."

"I have a key to the Jeffersonian, Booth. I can get back in if they lock me out, and I can't be locked _in _because they lock the doors from the inside."Brennan replied like this was the most obvious thing in the world.

Booth smirked on the other line and gave a small chuckle at his partner's inability to see his sarcasm. "You know, Bones, I should really explain the meaning of sarcasm to you."

"I know what sarcasm is, Booth. I just don't don't know when you're using it and when you're not."

"Right."

"I am right!"

"Sure you are, Bones."

"Booth! Don't be that way!"

"What way?"

"You know what way! You're being sarcastic with me again!"

"Me? Psht, no! Bones, you know me better than that!"

"That's the problem, Seeley Booth, I know you to well!"

Booth froze, hadn't his father just said that she probably knew him and could read him better than he thought? Yes, the irony was definantly ironically ironic. "Well then, Bones. How well, exactly, do you know me?" Michael smirked in his direction as he heard Booth say this, he was finding it hard to control his wanting to say told you so.

"What do you mean?" She said, her voice edged with curiosity and confusion.

"I _mean _do you really know me as well as you _think_ you know me?"

"Yes." was her simple reply.

"Right, Bones. Prove it."

"Alright, your mother's name is Lynn your father's name is Michael your brother's name is Jared Your brother's wife's name is Melina your niece's name is Casey you grandmother's name is Lucille your son's name is Parker your son's mother's name is Rebbecca your ex-girlfriend's name is Camille and your bosses name is Sam."

"Bones, that doesn't count, I already knew that you knew all that stuff, and besides that's stuff about my family, not me!" Booth said as his mother and brother walked in the door and he smiled at them and edged out the door as his mother hugged Michael around the neck, but this didn't mean that he'd missed his father's knowing smile as he excited the hospital room.

"Well, what do you want me to tell you?" Temperance said, clearly at a lost as to what she was supposed to say.

"What's my favorite color?"

"I don't know your favorite color."

"Take a guess."

"Ok, green."

"What makes you say green?"

"You wear it a lot." was her simple answer.

Booth was slightly surprised that she actually paid attention to what he wore. "Aw! Bones, you pay attention to what I wear? I'm flattered!"

"Stop being sarcastic."

"Ok, fine. Next question, what's my favorite sport?"

"Hockey."

He was honestly slightly surprised that she actually knew this. "How do you know that?"

"You talk about it all the time, Booth."

"Ok, what's my favorite food?"

"Pie."

That was obvious, that was basically all he ever ate when he went to the diner."That one was easy, what about. . .what's my favorite pair of socks?"

"Booth! How exactly do you expect me to know that?"

"Just answer the question, Bones."

"Fine, those Blue ones with the stripes that you wear all the time."

"Wow! You hit the nail on the head there, Bones!"

"What?"

"Never mind. Why are those socks my favorite?"

"Your son gave them to you for Christmas."

Maybe she did know a fair bit about him. "When is my birthday?"

"Sometime in August, I think."

Ok, maybe not. "It's in October, Bones."

"Oh."

"Ok, let's get to the juicy stuff. Do you know my deepest secret?" Booth said, a nurse that went by gave him a strange look.

"Booth, you are honestly unbearable at times. Aren't you a little old to be sharing secrets?"

"I never said I'd share it with you. You have to get it right for me to share it with you, do you know what it is?"

There was a small laps of silence as Brennan though. "I don't know, you actually did give your number to that one girl who was at the diner last week and you're secretly in love with her?" She said blandly.

He _was_ secretly in love with someone, to bad she'd gotten the person wrong, though."Wow, deep, Bones. But, no, I'm not in love with that chick who was at the diner, and how do you know that I gave her my number?"

"Booth, I pay attention more than you think I do."

That was a frightening concept. "Do you want to try and guess that one again?"

There was, once again, a laps of silence as Temperance thought. "You read comic books and drink beer when you take baths!"

"That's not exactly secret anymore, now is it?"

Brennan snickered obviously. "No, not really. How about. . .You have a crush on Angela?"

"Are you seriously loosing your mind, Bones? That is probably the last person I would have a "crush" on, but you _are _getting close, it does involve someone I work with."

"Does it involve me?"

"Not telling!" Booth said in a sing song voice.

"Why not! It does have something to do with me doesn't it?!"

"Maybe." He said, yet again, in a sing song voice.

"Booth! Tell me!"

"Not if you can't guess, Bones!"

Brennan huffed and grunted frustratedly. "I don't know! Now can you please tell me!?"

"You'll just have to wait, Bones."

"Booth!"

"I'm sorry, Bones! I can't tell if you can't get anywhere closer to guessing! But, unfortunately that will have to wait, I've got to go see how my dad is doing, although I have enjoyed talking to you, I'm afraid I've got to go now."

"Ok, Booth, but you're telling me next time I see you. Clear?"

Booth chuckled. "Right, bones, sure, you can count on that." He said sarcastically.

"Booth!"

Booth chuckled again. "Goodbye, Bones."

Temperance huffed again but dropped her voice to a normal speaking level. "By, Booth."

With that Booth snapped his phone shut and put it back into his pocket, smiling all the while, he really did love his dear little clueless partner.


	14. Chapter 14

_**Thanks for the reviews on the last chapter! They make me happy! :)**_

Temperance rubbed her eyes sleepily and brought the body in front of her back into focus. She hadn't slept well the night before, mostly due to her late night working and her conversation with her partner at one o'clock in the morning.

Booth's "secret" was still puzzling her, why did he want to keep things from her? Well, she could see why he wanted to keep his secret from her, it was, after all, a secret. But if it had something to do with her, why couldn't he tell her? Hodgins walked up behind the anthropologist and tapped her lightly on the shoulder.

Brennan jumped and turned around. "Hodgins!"

"Wow, jumpy are we?" He asked as an amused grin spread across his face.

"What have you got, Hodgins?" Temperance asked, ignoring the entomologist's comment.

Hodgins raised an eyebrow at her but refrained from commenting on Temperance's unusually "rough" appearance. "I've pulled some particulates off of Victoria Newmann's clothes. I found traces of gasoline, it was pored all over her, is there any signs that the body was burned?"

Brennan shook her head and looked at Hodgin's curiously. "No, there is absolutely nothing that would suggest she'd been burned."

Zach walked up on the plat from and joined the two at the table the skeletal remains were at, he gave a brief smile to Hodgins and Brennan then turned his attention to the body in front of him.

"Dr.Brennan, I think I've found the cause of death." Zach said as he snapped on a pair of latex gloves.

Temperance nodded and turned her attention towards Zach. "Ok, explain."

"The marks on the ribs suggest repetitive stabbing with a sharp, circular object. It looks like the kill was done quickly, and without empathy, she probably didn't even see it coming." Zach explained.

"Good, I'll tell Booth." Brennan said as she snapped off her gloves and proceeded to make her way out of the Jeffersonian.

Hodgins turned to Zach and looked at him with an eyebrow raised in amused curiosity. "Is it just me, or does Brennan seem a little. . .off. . .today?"

Zach shrugged and continued to examine the body.

--

Booth jumped as Temperance entered his office, she had a habit of coming in unannounced, which resulted in scaring the crap out of him half the time.

"Bones! knock, will ya?"

Brennan backed up and knocked on the door frame, then went to one of the chairs in front of his desk and plopped herself down in it. "Sorry if I scared you, I just thought I'd come and tell you that we've found out how Victoria Newmann died."

"You did not scare me!" Booth replied defensivly. "And I was actually just heading over to the Jeffersonian to see if you'd gotten anything usefull yet, you read my mind, Bones."

Temperance glanced at her watch, she had five minutes until her lunch break and she was getting hungry. "Ok, well, do you want to go grab some lunch and I'll tell you what I've got then?" Brennan asked.

Booth nodded and grabbed his coat from the back of his chair. "I'll drive."

Temperance rolled her eyes and followed him from the office.

--

Brennan grabbed a french fry from Booth's plate almost as soon as the waitress had set it down, she popped it into her mouth and proceeded to chew and then swallow it before she told Booth about Victoria Newmann.

"She was killed with a sharp, circular instrument. She took a few blows to her chest, Zach says it looks like the killer did it quickly, and without empathy." Temperance said quickly.

"So the murder weapon is like a stake?" Booth questioned.

Brennan looked thoughtfull for a moment and the nodded. "Yeah, I guess that could be one possability."

"Well, if the killer killed her quickly, that would probably make is somebody she didn't know. But not necisarily. Did you find anything else?"

"Yeah, Hodgins found traces of gasoline on her clothing, he said someone had poored it all over her, but there is no evidance the body was burned. It may have something to do with where she was killed." Temperance replied as she took a spoon full of her soup.

Booth nodded and continued to look deap in thought. "We still havn't gotten any closer to finding out who killed her, though. Maybe if we find out who killed her grandmother that would lead us one step closet to finding her killer."

Brennan nodded and crushed a few crackers into her soup. "I thought you saw who shot Mary Newmann? You were there."

"No, I came in when whoever it was fired the gun shot, I saw Mary drop to the floor and I saw the killer run out of the room. She was covered up, though, so I couldn't see her face. I-I mean it. . .it. . .could've been anyone, right?" Booth said, he looked nervous and seemed to be trying to convince himself of something.

"Booth? Do you know something you're not telling me?"

"No, nothing. It's just, I thought. . .no it's stupid, it couldn't have been her, I'm-I'm just shaken up is all, I just thought I saw her, it was probably just someone who looked liker her, is all." Booth said as he began to pick at his food.

"Who? Who did you see?" Temperance questioned.

"No one, it was no one."

"Booth! You're lying to me! Who did you think you saw?!" Brennan prodded.

"I saw. . .well, I mean to say I _thought _I saw. . .R-Rebbecca."


	15. Chapter 15

"Rebbecca!?" Temperance asked astounded. That was the last name she had expected him to say.

"Yeah, but it probably wasn't her, I mean. . ." Booth started.

"Booth! You've got to question her! What if it was her?" Brennan interrupted.

"Bones, I _know _it wasn't her!"

"How?!" Temperance said angrily.

"Because she wouldn't put our son in danger like that, no matter what I think, she's a good mother and she would _not _do that to Parker!" Booth replied raising his voice slightly.

Brennan stared him down for a second then shook her head. "You still have to question her, Booth. And you know that."

Booth scowled slightly and remained silent for a while, but shook his head yes none the less. "You're right."

Temperance nodded, happy Booth had seen it her way. She continued to eat her soup but Booth eyed his food silently for a while before picking up a fry and popping it into his mouth. This was going to be difficult. How was he supposed to explain to Parker that he'd accused his mother of murder? On second thought, maybe it'd be best not to mention anything at all to Parker until he was absolutely sure that it was Rebbecca he'd seen.

--

When the two had finished lunch the proceeded back to their work places and continued on with their day, but both had new pressing matters on their minds.

Brennan was worried that Booth had really seen Rebbecca and Booth would have to take his son in and not be able to give him all the attention he would need, that couldn't possibly be good for Parker.

Booth was curious as to what had happened to Victoria Newmann even more now that he knew how she had been murdered, and was sitting in his office at the FBI building trying to come up with any sort of conclusion at all that might bring them even a tiny bit closer to all of what had happened to Victoria Newmann.

He jumped as Rebbecca of all people entered his office.

"Seeley! Where's Parker!" She asked, her voice far above a normal tone.

"He was with my mom. Why?" Booth asked as he sat up straighter in his chair and eyed Rebbecca curiously.

"I know that! But he's not with her anymore! I went by your apartment to get him for a birthday party and your mother said that _I _had already come and got him!"

"What!?" Now he was really confused, it wasn't like his mother to forget what Rebbecca looked like, even if she didn't have as good a memory as she used to, she would never forget the women that had refused to marry her own son.

""What", is right! WHERE IS MY SON, SEELEY BOOTH?!" Rebbecca was yelling now.

Booth cringed and stood up. Parker had to still be with his mother, he just had to be. He picked up his phone and quickly dialed his mother's cell phone number.

"Mom." He said once his mother answered. "Where's Parker?"

"Oh, Seeley, Rebbecca just came by to get him."

"That wasn't her, Mom. She's standing right in front of me, without my son." Booth said worriedly.

"I. . .I. . .It wasn't? Who was it then! I could have sworn it was her, looked just like her, could've been her twin!"

Booth's mouth dropped open and he slapped himself in the four head. Why hadn't he thought of it before?

"Rebbecca, when was the last time you talked to Ronda?" He asked his frantic ex.

"Not since Christmas, but what does she have to do with any of this?" Rebbecca answered.

"I think I know who has Parker, and who killed Mary Newmann." Booth said as he grabbed his coat off the back of his chair and ran out of his office.

Rebbecca ran after him, and got in the car with him as he made it out of the FBI building and unlocked the doors to his SUV.

"Where are we going, Seeley?"

"First to the Jefferesonian, I've got to tell Brennan what I've just found out, and then we're going to pay a visit to your sister." Booth answered, not taking his eyes off the road.

"My sister?" Rebbecca asked confused. "What does she have to do with any of this?"

Booth banged the steering wheel angrily as he got caught at a stop light. "Rebbecca! You have a twin! She looks just like you! Someone who looks just like you took our son from my mother, and someone who looks just like you killed Mary Newmann! Why do you think we're going to visit your sister?!"

Rebbecca's eyes widened in awe, and she shook her head. "Ronda couldn't have taken Parker, she wouldn't do that! And as for killing someone, why would she? She's never been a particually angry person, she doesn't hold grudges!"

Booth ignored this and stayed silent in thought, he passed a red truck in front of him and flicked his sirens on once he saw there was traffic ahead. His eyes widened as he thought of yet another thing that layed suspicion on Ronda Smith.

"Rebbecca, your sister still works at Washinton Highschool, right?"

Rebbecca nodded still shaken up.

"Didn't the tenth grade biology class just go on a camping trip a few months ago? And didn't Ronda head that trip?" Booth asked.

"I don't know? How do you know?" Rebbecca asked curiously.

"Because when we found Victoria Newmann's body I talked to her high school principle and he told me all of the field trips the tenth graders had taken and who had headed them, one of them was a camping trip in Virginia headed by the tenth grade biology teacher, Ronda Hemmson. I didn't think much about it until now, you told me a few weeks ago when I was picking up Parker that you sister had gotten married, but you never told me her last name. It's Hemmson, isn't it?"

They had reached the Jeffersonian now and Booth hopped out of the car, Rebbecca trailing close behind him. "Yes, it's Hemmson. Who's Victoria Newmann, and what do you think my sister has done?" Rebbecca asked confused.

"I don't know yet, but if your sister headed that trip then she _could have _killed Victoria Newmann, a fourteen year old girl who was found dead in my parent's back yard." Booth answered as he swiped his card and bounded up onto the Jeffersonians platform, earning a curious stare from Zach, who was standing over a large decomposed skeleton.

"Where's Bones?" Booth asked.

"Dr.Brennan is in her office, why?" Zach answered.

Booth nodded and ran off the platform, Rebbecca followed. Booth busted into Brennan's office, causing her to jump and drop the pen she was currently writing with.

"Booth! What are you. . ." She started.

Booth shook his head. "Come on, Bones, I think I know what might have happened to Victoria Newmann. Could a tent spike of killed her?"

Temperance stood as Booth grabbed her jacket and thrust it at her leading her and Rebbecca out of the office.

"It's possible, but what does that have to do with anything, Booth?" Brennan asked as the three made their way out of the Jeffersonian. "And what is Rebbecca doing here?"

"I'll explain on the way." Booth said, as he threw his keys at Rebbecca. "You're driving, I don't know where Ronda lives." He said as he hopped in the passengers seat and Temperance eased herself into the back.

Rebbecca raised her eyebrows, he had never let her drive when they'd been dating. She ran around to the drivers seat and hopped in, cranking the car and pulling out of the Jeffersonian. Booth switched on the siren and turned around in his seat to talk to Temperance, who was still clueless as to what was going on.

"I think Ronda Hemmson killed Mary and Victoria Newmann." Booth said.

"Who's Ronda Hemmson, Booth?!" Brennan said agitated.

"Rebbecca's twin sister."

Temperance's eyes widened in understanding."That's who you saw kill Mary Newmann? But what makes you think she killed Victoria?"

"She's a teacher at the same high school that Brittany Grayson taught at, the one that Victoria Newmann went to. She headed a camping trip for the tenth grade biology class. Brittany Grayson even hinted at it when we questioned her, she said Victoria Newmann was a real whiz at biology, she doesn't teach biology, she teaches ninth grade English. I think Ronda paid Brittany to kidnap Victoria right before the camping trip and bring her up to where they were staying. Victoria put up a fight and. . .and Ronda killed her, but that still doesn't explain why she took Parker."

"She took Parker?" Brennan questioned.

"Yeah, Mom had him and. . ."

"Victoria Newmann!" Rebbecca stated loudly before Booth could finish. "She baby sat Parker last Christmas, the last time I saw Ronda. We were going out to eat together and you were busy so I hired a baby sitter that a girl I work with had recommended. Ronda met her when she came by to leave for dinner. That's the last time I used a teenage baby sitter, I just didn't feel right leaving him alone with someone underage. But why would Ronda kill a baby sitter that I've only used once and why would she wanna take Parker?" Rebbecca asked Booth.

"Because. . ." Booth stopped and sat in silent thought for a while, as Rebbecca took a sharp right turn and pulled onto a dirt road.". . .because Victoria went to the school she taught at, and she knew it would be easier to get to Parker when she had someone like Victoria on her side,someone who you had hired to baby sit Parker. She didn't want to kill Victoria Newmann, she. . .she wanted to kill Parker!"

"Why? She's my sister, that's my son, she wouldn't do that!" Rebbecca asked astounded.

"She hates Parker, Rebbecca! You know that. She hates me and she hates my son. She would glare at me every time I came over to check on you when you were pregnant with Parker, she's the one who wanted you to get an abortion! She's the one who would never agree to take care of Parker for you, she's the one who would always ignore him and make snide comments about him and me! She wanted my son dead, Rebbecca! And she still does!"

"Booth, you don't know if what you're saying is true yet. There isn't definite evidence that points towards Ronda." Temperance said as Rebbecca pulled onto a gravel road and up to a horribly bright orange house.

"Yeah, Bones, right." Booth answered, not paying attention as he jumped out of the car and made his way up to the front porch. Brennan hopped out of the car and followed him to the front door and Rebbecca followed her.

Rebbecca stepped forward and rang the door bell that sat right beside the huge white door. A women identical to Rebbecca but with slightly longer hair answered it and glared at the people in front of her. Booth glared back and Brennan just looked at her, Rebbecca smiled.

"Can we come in, Ronda?" Rebbecca asked innocently.

Ronda scowled but nodded none the less. "What are you doing here?"

"We just wanted to ask you a few questions." Booth answered coldly.

"About what?"

"About the murder of Mary and Victoria Newmann and the kid napping of our son." Booth said angrily.

"And what exactly would I know about that?" Ronda questioned in an almost convincing innocent way.

"You have Parker! You took him!" Rebbecca said angrily.

"You don't have any proof of that."

"Yes we do, we have a wittiness who says that she saw someone who fit your description take Parker this afternoon." Booth said definitely.

"Who?" Ronda asked.

Booth glared at the women in front of him before answering. "My mother."

"That old women? She's old and senile, she wouldn't know me from a raven haired basketball player!" Ronda replied amused.

Booth glared at her again and started at her but was stopped by Brennan. "Booth." She said, pointing at a large tent spike that was sitting on top of a crumpled up tent.

Booth walked over to it and pulled out a pair of elastic gloves and picked the spike up carefully.

"You can't touch that without a warrant!" Ronda said, stepping forward.

Booth smirked at her. "I have reasonable suspicion that this implement was used in the murder of Victoria Newmann."

Ronda glared at him but stepped back none the less. "You don't have any proof yet, though, so there is not reason for you to be in my house. I'm not saying anything that will lay suspicion on me and I'm not admitting to committing a murder."

"But I can take you in for questioning, can't I? And when we get down to the FBI maybe you'll. . ." Booth was cut off by a loud yell from the basment. Ronda closed her eyes and bit her tongue. Rebbecca ran into the kitchen and then down to the basement, Booth and Temperance hot on her heels.

When the four reached the basement they found a small, blond headed child gagged and tied in the far corner. Parker. He had managed to get the cloth that was tied around his mouth loosened enough to speak and was currently yelling his head off. Parker stopped yelling once he saw his mother and father and proceeded to struggle and pull on the ropes that bound him, trying to get to his parents.

Booth pulled a pocket knife from his pocket and cut the ropes from his son, he pulled the cloth from his mouth and then both he and Rebbecca embraced their son. Brennan watched this for a small amount of time then, remembering that the killer and kidnapper was still upstairs and untended, ran upstairs and caught Ronda exiting through the back door. Temperance ran after her and managed to tackle her to the ground before she reached her car.

Booth and Rebbecca emerged from the house with Parker in his father's arms and watched Brennan restrain Ronda. Booth watched in awe as Temperance forcefully hauled the women to her feet and twisted Ronda's arms behind her back.

"Wow, Bones, good going!" Booth complimented as he threw her a pair of cuffs.

Brennan smiled and brushed a peice of hair from her face, then proceeded to cuff Ronda Hemmson, who was glaring fiercely at all five of them. Booth hugged his son tighter to his chest and sighed, they had finally caught the killer.


	16. Chapter 16

**_It is actually surprising how long it took me to write this chapter, and I'm still not really happy with how it turned out, I hope I gave a sufficient ending, please inform me on what you think about it! I purposefully left a little bit of the ending up to the imagination and I hope I didn't leave to much. Thanks for the reviews on the previous chapters and Please, please, please, review this one!_**

Temperance Brennan sat at her office flipping through her exceedingly large stack of paper work, now that she and Booth had solved Victoria Newmann's case Booth's family had went back to New York and she and Booth had been back to the normal daily routine of fighting crime.

Ronda had been sent to Jail under murder and kidnapping charges and Rebbecca was taking this a lot lighter then expected, she was also not leaving Parker for more than two minutes by himself anymore. The Newmann's had held Mary and Victoria's funerals on the same day and had been sure to invite both Booth and Brennan, who were touched by the family's offer and had attended the service last Sunday.

Temperance sighed as Booth bounded into her office looking chipper. "Hay,Bones!"

Brennan smiled and continued to glare at her paper work, she knew that staring at it wasn't going to make it do itself or reduce the amount in size at all, but she thought, maybe, if all logic failed she could stare at it enough that it would simply be a figment of her imagination. This of course, was an utterly preposterous idea, and Temperance was almost ashamed that she had even thought of it, but she was sick of paperwork.

"Booth, you told me you would help me with my paper work if I went to New York with you and you never did! I think it's time you held up your end of the bargain!" Brennan said as she pried her eyes away from her work.

Booth wrinkled his nose at the pile of work on his partner's desk and shrugged. "I'll help you. . .on one condition."

Brennan glared at Booth and shook her head. "No more conditions, Booth. You promised you would and you have to keep your promises. I kept my promise!"

Booth chuckled at her and grabbed her coat off of the coat rack by her office door. "You went to New York with me, sure. But you didn't spend the entire weekend with me up there. So I think you owe me dinner. . .well, my family and I dinner."

"What?" Brennan announced looking worriedly at her partner. What had he done now?

"You heard me, Bones. You are coming to dinner with me, Jared, Dad, Mom, Melina, and gran Lucille don't worry about paying either, it's my treat. You just have to run home and change and we can go!" Booth replied.

Temperance glared at Booth and tried to hide the fact that going out to dinner with the Booths actually sounded nice."Booth! I don't have time for this! And besides, I thought your family went back to New York two Weeks ago?"

"They did. . ." Booth started, ignoring her refusal to go as he guided her out of her office. ". . .But they came back last night to have dinner with me before Gran Lucille left for North Dakota and Melina and Jared leave for Florida, and they requested that you accompany us to dinner, seeing as you didn't get to spend a lot of time with them when you went up to New York."

Brennan stopped and grinned at Booth. "Why did they request that I go with them to dinner? Do _you _want me to go?"

Booth looked at Temperance with an odd expression on his face, apparently unsure of how to answer her question. "My mother wants you to come to dinner with us because she appreciates the fact that you solved the case. And, actually, yes, I would love for you to come with me. Now will you please come on so we can get to the restaurant before Jared, he always puts a fake name down when he signs us in for the seats and I'm forced to wonder around until I find their table."

Brennan giggled slightly at the image of Booth wondering around a fancy restaurant looking for his brother. "Find, Booth, I'll go. But you have to help me finish my paper work tomorrow. Deal?"

"Deal." Booth replied as he guided her out of the Jeffersonian and into the parking garage.

--

Booth turned the corner sharply and came to a halt in front of Brennan's apartment building. "Ok, Bones I'll wait out here and you can go get changed." He said with a grin.

"Booth! I don't even know where we're going so how am I supposed to know what to change into?" Temperance exclaimed, crossing her arms over her chest and cocking an eyebrow curiously.

Booth sighed and got out of the car, Brennan followed. "You're gonna need to dress. . .dressy. That means high heels, a dress maybe, but if you don't feel like a dress a nice shirt and a pair of khakis will do fine."

Temperance unlocked her front door and let them both in. "So does that mean you're going to have to change to? Because a t-shirt and jeans doesn't seem very "dressy" to me."

Booth nodded and held up a bag that Brennan just now noticed. "You know me, Bones. I always have a change of clothes in the SUV, and it just so happens that I brought a suit and tie. . . and not just any tie. . .a plain, red tie."

Temperance chuckled at Booth's words, he had a thing with flashy ties and the fact that he actually owned a solid one was quite amusing to her, not to mention surprising.

"You can change in the living room, and I'll get ready in my room." Brennan stated as she edged her way out of the room that Booth was currently occupying and was getting ready to change in. She went down the hall and into her bedroom where she rummaged around in her closet for a while, but couldn't really find anything that looked dressy and hadn't been worn five million times already.

She sighed as she spotted the dress in the far back of her closet that she'd taken to New York with her but never worn, also the dress that she'd worn in Vegas, it had only been used that one time and it was the only thing that she had left unless she wanted to wear something dirty, ripped, or boring.

Temperance pulled the dress out of her closet and looked at it one more time before unzipping the back of it and proceeding to put it on.

--

Booth sighed and glanced at his watch, it had been past an hour already and Brennan was still getting ready. Booth yawned and tightened his tie for the fifteenth time that night, it wouldn't stop slipping down and he didn't think that it would look that fantastic if he waltzed into one of the nicest restaurants in DC with a tie that wasn't tied.

Booth rubbed his eyes and stood up, sitting still and doing nothing but tie his loose tie was getting extremely annoying, he had taken a very quick nap but had woken up because. . .well, he wasn't exactly sure what had woken him up, he just knew that he found it hard to fall asleep when it was as quite as it was in Brennan's apartment.

He made his way down the hall and into Temperance's room, Booth froze as he rose his hand to knock on the bathroom door, it had opened and revealed one of the most beautiful things he'd seen in a long while.

Brennan was blushing and he could tell, but he was sure it was nothing to the color red he was going at the moment. She looked stunning and he wasn't hiding the fact that he thought so. "Wow, Temperance you look beautiful."

She turned a deeper shade of red and thanked him in a small voice, she tugged at her dress and Booth remembered with a jolt where he'd seen her dress before. . .Vegas. He chuckled to himself as he remembered the under ground fighting arena and "Roxy" running and hugging him after he'd nearly gotten the pulp beat out of him, she'd worn that dress then.

She was wearing the same dress but she looked a lot different than when she'd last worn it in Vegas, her hair was pulled up in a graceful bun with curled twigs popping out here and there, her make up was softer and highlighted her blue-green eyes and soft white skin. She was wearing a simple, but flashy golden necklace with matching earrings, it was definitely Temperance Brennan wearing this dress, not "Roxy".

"Booth, your tie is untied." Temperance said, quickly interrupting the silence that had fallen between them.

"Oh." Booth replied as he looked down at his tie, it matched her dress perfectly. He wondered if she'd purposefully picked an outfit that matched his tie, or if it'd been just a weird coincidence.

"Let me help you fix it." Brennan said as she pulled him closer and grabbed the ends of his tie. Booth grinned at her, she was being awfully girlie tonight.

"Why thank you, Dr.Brennan I don't know how I would have ever done it by myself!" Booth said sarcastically when she'd tied his tie extremely tight, it wasn't falling down now.

Temperance crossed her arms and raised her eyebrow. "If you could do it yourself why wasn't it done already, Agent Booth?"

Booth chuckled and put a hand on the small of her back, guiding her from the room. "I guess I just wanted you to do it, you are, after all, the expert." Booth replied with a wink.

Brennan grabbed her purse off of the coffee table and Booth grabbed his keys and clothes bag, Temperance flicked off the light and they both excited the tidy apartment.

--

When the two pulled up to the restaurant Jared and Melina's car was already there, so was Michael and Lynn's, but Lucille's car wasn't present, and Booth seemed none to worried that his grandmother was later than they were.

Booth hopped out of the car and went around to open Brennan's door, she thanked him and slid out of the passenger's seat carefully. Temperance and Booth walked up to the front of the restaurant and asked for the Booth party, and, unsurprising to Booth, there wasn't a Booth party put down.

Brennan pulled Booth to a table in the far corner where she'd spotted the Booth party, even if they were under "Smith". Booth smirked at his brother as he sat beside his mother, who hugged him as best she could while sitting down.

Temperance sat down on the other side of Booth beside Melina and smiled at her, Melina smiled back and tossed her long black hair behind her. She was wearing a lovely golden gown that showed off her slightly rounded abdomen. Her hair was pulled back with a golden head band that let her un usually curly black locks cascade down over her shoulders.

Lynn was wearing an elegant white dress that came up to her knees and looked years younger than she actually was with her now wavy golden blond hair framing her face. Michael looked happy and healthy with a white colored shirt on and a Navy blue suite over it.Jared was sporting a dark gray suite with a cream colored button up shirt and a gray tie that matched his suit exactly.

As soon as Booth and Brennan had sat down, in came Lucille, who had apparently pulled in behind Temperance and Booth. She was wearing a purple floor length dress that looked older than she was and her hair was draped over her shoulder and stick straight. She wore the same scowl that normally graced her features but let said scowl waver slightly when she spotted Brennan.

"Dr.Brennan, no one told me that you'd be joining us tonight."

Temperance smiled and Lynn shook her head. "Yes we did, Mother. Remember? When we were talking last night at dinner."

Lucille pursed her lips and sat herself down beside Michael, who cringed slightly as she called out for the waitress. Lynn looked slightly embarrassed at the curious stares they were now getting from the people at the other tables and shrugged apologetically at the women at the table beside them who was glaring at Lucille.

"Excuse me! Waitress!" Lucille called out again as a short frazzled looking women made her way to their table.

"I'm sorry mam, but could you please lower you voice? This is a fine establishment and if you don't quieten down I'm going to have to ask you to leave." The waitress told Lucille sternly, who glared and stood up.

"Fine." She said as she grabbed her purse off of the back of the chair. "The service here is horrible anyway. Lynn, I'll see you back at the hotel. It was wonderful seeing you again Dr.Brennan and you Seeley, but I'm afraid I must leave now."

With that Lucille stormed from the restaurant leaving Lynn apologizing many times to the waitress, who huffed, took their drink orders, and marched back into the kitchen.

Booth turned to Brennan and gave an amused face. "My family is so messed up, Bones."

"I don't know, I think mine beats yours by a long shot." Temperance replied light heartily.

Michael eyed his son as he laughed at Temperance and turned his attention back on his "messed up" family. Booth caught his father's gaze and his cheeks gave off a Rosy gleam. Booth hated his father's "I know everything" look and, unfortunately, he got to see it a lot more than he'd like.

--

Booth leaned back in his chair and dabbed his face with his napkin, he had eaten way more than he'd thought possible, and now felt as if he was going to blow up and die.

After the waitress had taken their orders and their food had been delivered to them, the Booth party,(plus one Brennan), had gorged themselves with food. Temperance was staring at an empty dessert plate with a hand plastered over her stomach, she had eaten more than she could handle as well, and, just like her partner, was feeling the effects.

In fact, Melina was the only one who didn't look extremely full. Lynn yawned widely and rubbed her sleepy eyes, it was getting quite late, and she was getting quite tired. Michael eyed his wife and gave a yawn himself, (why are yawns always contagious?), maybe it was time they headed home.

"Well, everyone, I think I'm ready to hit the hay." Michael said as he stood.

Lynn opened her eyes wide and stared up at her husband, it was obvious she didn't want to leave. "But, Michael we've only got one night left in DC and I. . ." She broke off here and yawned again. ". . .ok maybe you're right."

Michael smiled at his wife as she stood up beside him and slung her purse over her shoulder. Lynn went around and hugged Jared, Booth, and Melina, then made her way to Temperance. She smiled at the anthropologist and hugged her tightly. "It was so nice meeting you, Dr.Brennan. I hope we get to see each other again sometime, I can't tell you how thankful I am that you solved Victoria Newmann's case.I can't imagine what might of happened if you hadn't."

Brennan nodded and smiled back at the women. "Thank you, Mrs.Booth. I was just doing my job."

"Well, I can tell you one thing for sure, Dr.Brennan, you're a whole lot different than any other girl that my son had ever brought home, and that's a compliment." Michael said with a chuckle. Booth blushed again, and mentally slapped himself for it.

With that the two left leaving only Melina, Jared, Booth and Brennan sitting at the table.

A short while later Melina nodded off, leaving Jared talking with Booth and Temperance. He quickly noticed his wife's absence from the conversation and shook her awake.

"I think it's time we get going." Jared said as he guided Melina up from her chair.

"I think we're ready to leave as well." Booth said as Brennan nodded in agreement.

The four walked out of the restaurant together and said their goodbyes in the parking lot before going to their separate cars.

"So was one last dinner with my family really that bad?" Booth asked as they both climbed into the SUV.

"No, I actually had a nice time." Temperance replied.

Booth nodded and looked back at the road, Temperance propped her elbow up on the window seal and looked at the passing scenery.

"You know, you never did tell me what your secret was." She broke the silence that had fallen between them with a completely random comment.

Booth glanced at her curiously. "What?"

"Your secret, You know, when we were talking on the phone and you told me to guess you "deepest, darkest secret"?"

"Oh, that." Booth said, looking slightly uncomfortable. "I never told you I'd tell you though, did I?"

"Yes, but I want to guess again, and I want a hint." Brennan told him definitely.

"Ok." Booth started as he thought of a sufficient hint that would keep her a considerable distance from the truth. "It has something to do with someone very close to me."

"I know that already, Booth! You said it was someone who worked with you and I'd already guessed it was me, I need a hint as to what secret you're keeping about me."

Booth frowned and turned the corner, coming to a halt at a red light. "Well. . . I happen to know that someone already knows this."

"That's not a hint, Booth!" Brennan exclaimed frustratedly.

Booth chuckled slightly as he pulled into a parking spot in front of her apartment building. The two got out of the car and made their way into Temperance's apartment. Brennan through her purse down on the couch and went to get them two drinks as soon as they entered the tidy home. Booth flopped down on the couch and stuck his feet on top of the coffee table, waiting for his partner to return before continuing their earlier conversation.

"No, I think it's a good hint honestly, there are actually four that know, two that I prefer didn't, but still."

Temperance took a moment to remember what they'd been talking about then handed him a drink and sat herself down beside him. "Well, can you at least tell me who knows? That would make it a fair bit easier."

Booth smiled at her and took a sip of his drink before answering. "Well, let's see, Angela, Sweets, my mother and my father."

Brennan screwed up her eyes in concentration, then blushed slightly. "Booth, does this have anything to do with what happened at your parent's house. . .you know, in the bathroom?"

Booth raised his eyebrows and hid his face with his cup as he sipped on his drink again. "It might."

"Oh my. . .Booth! You like me!"

Booth spluttered slightly, and shot some of what he'd just drank out of his nose. Why was his father always right? She had guessed.

"W-well. . .it. . .it _might _be something like that."

Temperance opened her eyes wide and her mouth even wider. "No, "might" Booth, you like me!"

Booth blushed slightly as Brennan grinned mischievously. "Bones, don't freak please, I'm not a stalker or anything like that, and I know that I said all that stuff about "lines", but I just wanted to keep you safe. But if we're honest with each other and. . ."

"Booth, stop." Temperance started as she laid a hand on his wrist. "You're always the one who says to think with their heart, and I think now is one of those times. It's probably because of all the wine I've had that's messing with my logic, but I think. . .I think this seems logical."

And with that Brennan laid a soft kiss on Booth, who was so completely shocked that he could do nothing but savor her unexpected reaction to his now obvious feelings. Temperance pulled away and looked at Booth, she lay a hand on his cheek, and he melted at her touch. He realized at once how much he really did love this women.

Brennan kissed him again, this time slightly longer, he held her tightly and she knew that she felt the same way he did. Temperance sighed and rapped her arms around his neck. She might blame this on the wine in the morning, but she knew she was just as sane as ever, and she knew she was in love with her partner, and that, was what made it all so likable.

Booth smiled into their kiss as Brennan ran her hands through his hair. Yes, his family been right, probably more right than they had ever been, Temperance Brennan was ten million times different than any other girl he'd ever been with.

He was madly in love with his partner, and best of all, she wad in love with him right back, how could he ever have a better "happily ever after"?

**_The End._**


End file.
